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THE  ^PRESENT  STATE,  PROSPECTS, 

AND 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

OF  THE 

METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 


APPENDIX   OF  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATISTICS, 


BY  NATHAN  BANGS.  D.D. 


JfetD^lilork  : 


PUBLISHED    BY    LANE  &   SCOTT, 

200  Mulberry-strcct. 

JOSEPH    LONG  KING,    PRINTER. 

1800. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1850,  by 
LANE    &    SCOTT, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Coiirt  of  the  Southern 
District  of  New-York. 


PREFACE. 


From  the  time  of  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  until  the  exaltation  of  Constantine  the 
Great,  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century,  to  the  im- 
perial government,  Christianity  had  been  rapidly  winning 
its  way  in  the  midst  of  violent  oppositions,  and  some- 
times of  cruel  persecutions,  until  it  finally  established 
itself  in  the  heart  of  the  Roman  Empire.  Erom  that  in- 
auspicious period  it  gradually  lost  much  of  its  vital 
principles,  by  accommodating  itself  to  the  maxims  of 
the  world,  and  paying  obeisance  to  civil  rulers,  and  seek- 
ing to  shape  itself  according  to  the  political  views  of 
men  invested  with  temporal  power.  It  continued  its 
retrograde  motion  until  finally  it  degenerated  into  a 
"  strange  plant,"  nourished  in  a  corrupted  soil.  Twelve 
centuries  of  midnight  darkness  brooded  over  the  Church, 
and  so  beclouded  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  that  his 
rays  were  scarcely  perceptible,  and  even  the  stars  of  the 
firmament  gave  but  a  twinkling  light,  to  direct  the  weary 
pilgrim  in  the  path  to  life  and  immortality. 

We  may  presume,  it  is  true,  that  during  this  long 
night  of  darkness,  here  and  there  were  found  pious  souls, 
breathing  out  their  desires  to  God,  while  they  mourned 
over  the  general  desolations  which  overspread  the  Church, 


4  PREFACE. 

for  pure  and  undefiled  religion  among  men.  But  they 
were  so  few  and  far  between,  that  their  names  scarcely 
appear  upon  the  page  of  ecclesiastical  history.  Monk- 
ish superstition,  bodily  austerities,  and  a  vain  attempt  to 
discipline  the  mind  to  the  rules  of  piety,  by  fasting, 
prayers,  pilgrimages,  the  collection  and  worship  of  re- 
lics, founding  monasteries  and  nunneries,  were  substi- 
tuted for  that  heartfelt  piety  consisting  in  pure  love  to 
God  and  man,  by  which  the  primitive  Christians  were 
distinguished. 

God,  however,  had  not  wholly  forsaken  the  world ; 
for  had  he  done  so,  it  would  have  perished  in  the  tomb 
of  its  own  corruptions.  In  addition  to  the  few  sighing 
ones  to  whom  we  have  already  alluded,  arose,  in  the  fif- 
teenth century,  in  Bohemia,  John  Huss,  an  eloquent  and 
learned  man,  who  preached  vehemently  against  the  vices 
of  the  clergy.  But  his  light  was  soon  extinguished 
by  the  fury  of  his  enemies.  Nor  did  John  Wiclif,  who 
arose  in  England  a  little  before  Huss,  and  strove  to  re- 
vive tlic  flame  of  pure  religion,  share  a  better  fate  ;  for 
though  he  died  a  natural  death,  yet  his  enemies  perse- 
cuted him  while  living,  and,  after  his  death,  displayed 
their  malice  at  this  bold  reprover,  by  causing  his  bones 
to  be  dug  up  and  publicly  burned.  To  complete  their 
malignant  projects,  they  finally  inflicted  the  sentence  of 
death  upon  Jerome  of  Prague,  the  companion  of  Huss, 
who  was  committed  to  the  flames  on  the  14th  of  May, 
1416. 

But  these  acts  of  cruelty  could  not  wholly  extinguish 
the  flame  of  pure  love  which  began  to  be  enkindled  in 


PREFACE.  5 

the  hearts  of  a  few;  for  soon  after,  namely,  in  1517, 
God  raised  up  Luther  in  Germany,  to  stem  the  torrent 
of  iniquity,  and  to  open  the  pure  fountain  of  divine 
truth  and  love.  The  events  of  the  Reformation,  brought 
about  through  the  instrumentality  of  Luther,  Melanc- 
thon,  aud  others,  in  Germany;  of  Arminius  and  his 
compeers  in  Holland  ;  of  Cranmer  and  his  associates  in 
England;  of  Knox  and  his  coadjutors  in  Scotland; 
of  Zwingle  and  his  followers  in  Switzerland,  are  all 
well  known,  and  therefore  need  not  be  rehearsed  here. 
But,  alas  for  the  glory  of  the  Church !  These  lights 
were  extinguished  by  death,  and  their  followers  soon 
sunk  away  into  a  dead  formalism ;  so  that  the  whole 
Protestant  world,  with  but  few  exceptions,  became  wed- 
ded to  the  State,  and  thus  imitated  the  conduct  of  the 
Church  in  the  days  of  Constantine.  The  peculiar 
glories  of  Christianity  were  obscured  by  the  smoke  and 
dust  of  political  strife,  and  by  the  pride  and  ostentation 
of  the  dignitaries  of  the  Church. 

In  this  state  lay  the  religious  world  when  Wesley 
arose,  and  preached  anew  the  doctrine  of  justification 
by  grace  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  holiness  of 
heart  and  life.  What  he  did — the  success  of  liis  labours, 
and  the  holy  influence  which  he  was  instrumental  in 
producing — I  have  endeavoured  to  show  in  the  follow- 
ing chapters.  If  the  positions  I  have  attempted  to  estab- 
lish be  founded  in  truth,  as  I  cannot  but  believe  they  are, 
then  may  we  hope  and  steadfastly  believe  tliat  God  is 
about  to  visit  the  earth  with  a  more  copious  shower  of 
divine  grace  than  it  lias  ever  heretofore  witnessed.    I 


6  PREFACE. 

would  not  indeed  deceive  myself,  nor  mislead  my 
readers ;  but  if  it  be  a  fact,  as  I  have  endeavoured  to 
demonstrate,  that  almost  £dl  denominations  of  Protes- 
tant Christians  are  waking  up  to  the  vast  importance  of 
vital  godliness,  of  the  absolute  necessity  of  holiness  of 
heart  and  life,  then  have  we  not  reason  to  believe  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  about  to  take  to  Himself  his  great  power, 
and  reign  universal  King  upon  the  earth? 

That  tliis  grand  consummation  may  be  fully  realized, 
those  members  of  the  Christian  Churches,  who  can  be- 
hold the  "  signs  of  the  times,"  and  who  see  and  feel  the 
necessity  of  persevering  exertions  in  the  cause  of  evan- 
gelical truth,  light,  and  holiness,  must  unite  their  ener- 
gies, and  use  with  conscientious  diligence  all  the  appli- 
ances within  their  grasp,  for  the  promotion  of  the  vital 
cause  of  Christianity.  They  must  not  stop  to  dispute 
about  non-essentials  or  minor  points  of  doctrine,  modes 
of  church  government,  or  the  mere  ceremonies  of  reli- 
gion, but  must  unite  all  their  energies,  and  combine  all 
their  influence,  to  oppose  sin  and  sinful  errors,  and  to 
establish  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  consists  in  "  right- 
eousness, peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 

That  this  may  be  the  case,  is  the  sincere  prayer  of 
the  author. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  state  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church— Erroneous  views 
—Diminution  of  Members  for  three  years  past  allowed— How 
accounted  for— The  Millerite  delusion— Great  increase  in  1843 
and  1844— Subsequent  sifting— The  present  compared  with 
former  diminutions — All  this  no  proof  of  backsliding— So  far 
from  it,  that  we  now  have  a  greater  proportion  of  the  popula- 
tion than  formerly — All  this,  cause  of  gratitude Page  15 

CHAPTER  H. 
Decrease  but  temporary— Its  causes— Disputes  between  the 
North  and  South— The  Mexican  War— Compared  with  the 
War  of  1813-1815— Like  results  produced— The  aboUtion  ex- 
citement—The fact,  therefore,  of  a  diminution  in  numbei-s 
no  proof  of  a  departure  fr.om  vital  piety — On  the  contrary,  we 
have  evidence  of  improvement , 20 

CHAPTER  m. 

Evils  allowedto  exist — These  are  exceptions — The  majority  truly 
pious— Evidences  of  improvement— Temporally  in  wealth— 
In  church  building — Comparison  between  our  present  and 
former  state  in  this  respect 26 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Education  another  evidence  of  improvement— Wesley's  work  in 
this  cause — Efforts  of  Coke  and  Asbury  in  this  cause  failed — 
Effect  of  this  failure  disparaging— Recent  efforts  more  success- 
fiU— Some  opposed  to  this  cause— But  God  has  sanctioned  it 
— Truly  Wesleyan — The  Methodists  have  done  much  to  their 
credit — Who  will  say  that  this  is  no  evidence  of  improve- 
ment ? 33 

CH.VPTER  V. 
The  Missionary  cause  an  evidence  of  improvement— Origin  of 
the  Missionary  Society— Opposition  encountered— Feebleness 


8  CONTENTS. 

of  its  beginning— Gradually  advanced— Finally  triumphs— 
What  it  has  achieved — All  this  a  practical  demonstration  of 
improvement Page  39 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Home  missions— Their  blessed  effects— Other  benevolent  move- 
ments— Increased  number  of  books  another  e\idence  of  im- 
provement— Origin  of  the  Book-Concern — Its  feebleness — La- 
bours under  a  heavy  debt — No  American  writers — Its  income 
small — Its  present  prosperous  state — This  institution  has  been 
sustained  by  Methodists 45 

CHAPTER  \TI. 
Examination  of  doctrine— In  what  Methodism  consists — Its  pe- 
culiarities— Sanctification — Mr.  Wesley's  views  of  this  doc- 
trine— This  doctrine  continues  to  be  preached — There  is  there- 
fore no  deterioration  here 53 

CHAPTER  \m. 
Old-fashioned  Methodism — In  what  it  consists — Distinction  be- 
tween its  vital  principles  and  circumstanticd  parts — The  first 
never  change— The  second  may  or  may  not  be,  though  neces- 
sary to  its  growth — Divine  call  of  its  ministry— This  essential 
— Circumstantials  contribute  much  to  its  success — In  these 
there  is  a  manifest  improvement 61 

CHAPTER  ES. 

Want  of  success  no  e\idence  of  a  destitution  of  holiness,  or  of 
a  Divine  call— Defects  always  apparent— Modification  of  the 
itinerancy  beneficial — Proved  from  a  comparison  of  the  former 
and  present  state  of  the  old  Rliinebeck  district — Advantages 
of  stations  and  small  circuits 70 

CHAPTER  X. 

Comparison  between  American  and  English  Methodism— We 
greatly  outnumber  them — Tlie  cause  of  this — Apology  for 
the  comparison— Respect  of  the  Author  for  his  Enghsh  bre- 
thren— The  objection  taken  from  them  has  no  foimdation  in 
reality— In  finances  they  exceed  us— Our  deficiency  unneces- 
sary—A remedy  proposed 77 


CONTENTS.  » 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Defects  in  the  Church— In  the  primitive  Church— Influence  of 
Methodism— Low  state  of  religion  at  the  time  Wesley  began 
his  ministry— This  fact  generally  acknowledged— His  qualifi- 
cations for  his  work — Revival  of  the  missionary  work,  the 
effect  of  Methodism — Proved  from  the  state  of  the  several 
missionary  societies — In  these  the  Methodists  took  the  lead — 
This  stated  as  an  historical  fact Page  87 

CHAPTER  Xn. 

Tract  cause — Mr.  Wesley  took  the  lead  in  this — Reformed  the 
literature  of  the  age— His  object  in  writing,  to  do  good— Title 
of  some  of  his  tracts — Distributed  one  at  the  cliurch  door  in 
London — Commences  his  printing  establishment — His  example 
followed  by  others — Hannah  More — Tract  societies  organized 
in  England  and  the  United  States — An  example  of  the  good 
effects  of  a  tract 99 

CHAPTER  Xni. 

Sunday-schools — Originated  with  Raikes — Wesley  among  the 
first  to  patronize  them — Teachers  labour  gratuitously — Wes- 
ley's account  of  them— Origin  in  Wales  by  the  labours  of  Mr. 
Charles— These  gave  rise  to  the  Bible  Societies— First  taught 
by  Methodists  in  America- The  glory  of  the  good  work  due  to 
God 108 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  temperance  reformation— Mr.  Wesley  takes  the  lead  in  tliis 
— Extract  from  his  sermon — From  liis  tract — General  rule  on 
that  subject  incorporated  in  an  altered  form  at  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1784— The  Church 
vacillates  on  this  subject— Intemperance  gaining  upon  us— 
The  voice  of  Hewitt  awakens  us— Restoration  of  Wesley's 
Rule— Importance  of  the  cause 118 

CHAPTER  XV. 

An  apology — God  the  Fountain  of  all  good — His  servants  to  bo 
esteemed — Disputes  among  Christians  a  hindrance  to  the 
Gospel — Evangelical  Alliance — Mr.  Wesley  proposed  its  prin- 
ciples eighty-six  years  since — Extracts  from  his  letter  to  the 
clergy  on  this  subject — Produced  no  immediate  effect 127 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  Xn. 

The  same  subject  continued — Difference  between  Wesley  and 
Whitefield — Their  interviews,  in  which  Whitefield  declines 
the  proffer  of  union— More  mature  reflection  altered  his  raiad 
—The  sentiments  of  Wesley  embody  the  principles  of  the 
Evangelical  Alliance— The  author's  publications  on  that  subject 
— Divine  love  essential  to  constitute  Christian  union. .  Page  136 

CHAPTER  XSH. 
A  great  reformation  has  been  effected — So  notorious  that  it  is 
useless  to  contend  with  those  that  deny  it— Former  opposition 
to  Methodism — Its  causes — Pulpit  and  press  agjiinst  it — How 
met  and  removed — Southey's  Life  of  Wesley  contributed  to 
make  him  better  known— Wesley's  Works  published  and  read— 
These  seemed  to  remove  prejudice,  as  they  were  read  by  other 
denominations— Clarke's  Commentary  was  pubhshed— Exa- 
mined by  other  denominations— His  learning  and  piety  con- 
ceded— Its  good  effects — The  hciud  of  God  shown  in  all  these 
things 145 

CHAPTER  X\TII. 

God  the  original  cause  of  aU  good— At  the  time  Methodism  arose 
pure  reUgion  at  a  low  ebb — It  was  hence  violently  opposed — 
The  objections  met  and  obviated— How— The  cause  steadily 
advanced— The  doctrine  of  sanctification  avowed — It  spread 
among  other  denominations — Mahan  and  Upham  advocate  it 
with  ability — The  blessed  effects  of  this — The  opposition  in  a 
great  measure  ceases — AU  evangeUcal  ministers  are  uniting — 
The  names  of  several  mentioned— Methodism  contributed  to 
this — The  author  disclaims  bigotry — Confirms  liis  love  to  all 
sincere  Christians 155 

aLVPTER  XIX. 

Influence  of  the  Gospel — United  influence  of  Christians — Experi- 
mentEil  religion  inseparably  comiected  with  keeping  the  com- 
mandments— The  present  state  of  the  world  liighly  favourable 
—Comparative  \-iew— Its  former  state— The  patriarchal— Mo- 
ssdc— Israelitish— The  time  of  our  Saviour— Church  and  State 
— The  time  of  the  Reformation — Later  times — AU  worse  than 
the  present— Though  many  pure  spirits  were  found  in  those 


CONTENTS.  11 

times,  yet  their  sufferings  prove  the  general  wickedness- 
Intolerance  of  Christians  towards  each  other — These  facts 
prove  that  the  present  are  better  than  the  former  times  Page  167 

CHAPTER  XX. 
The  evils  of  civil  or  religious  despotism — Altered  state  of  things 
for  the  better — Produced  by  pure  religion — Tlie  hand  of  God 
seen  in  this — Labo\irs  of  Simpson  and  Buchanan,  and  other 
Missionaries — British  and  Foreign  and  American  Bible  Socie- 
ties— All  these  tended  to  break  down  bigotry  and  establish  a 
catholic  spirit— The  contrast  between  the  present  and  former 
times  striking— Bright  hope  for  the  future 176 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  author  expresses  his  conviction  in  the  validity  of  his  con- 
clusions—Former incredulity  in  chronological  interpretations 
-Mr.  Fleming's  prediction  of  the  downfall  of  the  Pope  in  1848 
—These  opened  new  views— Wesley  and  Faber  approximate 
near  each  other,  and  with  Fleming— Causes  of  the  difference 
— This  difference  being  so  small,  confirms  the  truth  of  the  pre- 
diction— All  these  things  argue  the  near  approach  of  the  mil- 
lennium— In  what  tliis  is  to  consist — Further  representations 
of  Fleming— Final  overthrow  of  the  Pope  in  the  year  2000— 
The  reasons  for  this 186 

CHAPTER  XXn. 

The  millennium  near  at  hand,  though  much  remains  to  be 
done  before  its  realization— The  present  state  of  the  world — 
1,000,000,000  its  estimated  population— One-tliird  only  of  these 
are  Christians — the  others  Mohammedans,  Pagans,  and  Jews 
— Probably  two-thirds  of  the  Christians  either  Roman  Catho- 
lics or  Greeks— Among  the  70,000,000  Protestants,  not  over 
3,500,000  real  Christians— Look  at  China— At  Africa— At  Eu- 
rope— Prospects  gloomy — State  of  the  Protestant  world — Evils 
of  Church  and  State— Look  at  America— Gloomy  state  of 
South  America  and  Mexico— Glance  at  the  conquest— The 
United  States— Here  things  more  favourable— Much  remains 
to  be  done — Calculation  of  the  time  for  the  general  spread  of 
the  Gospel— The  holy  Christian  fixes  his  faith  on  the  promises 
of  God— Present  facilities  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel iy7 


312  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXm. 

Statement  of  particular  facts — These  prove  that  evangelical 
religion  is  reviving — European  revolutions  favourable  to  reli- 
gious toleration — Extracts  of  letters  from  Italy — from  Switzer- 
land— from  Hungary — from  Germany — These  all  indicate  a  re- 
vival of  godliuess — Meeting  of  evangelical  ministers  in  Wit- 
tenberg—A spirit  of  union  prevails— These  facts  prove  that 
pure  religion  is  advancing — The  fire  of  Divine  love  will  burst 
forth  suddenly,  and  consume  all  before  it Page  208 

CHAPTER  XXIV^. 

We  live  in  an  eventful  era— Tlie  author  confines  his  address  to 
liis  own  Church— Increase  of  means  augments  responsibility- 
Wealth  a  blessing  if  used  right — No  sin  in  gold  and  silver,  but 
in  their  abuse— The  blessings  of  life  should  create  gratitude — 
The  maimer  in  which  wealth  becomes  a  snare — How  it  may  be 
made  a  blessing — Increase  of  wealth  devolves  high  responsi- 
bility— Surplus  wealth  enough  to  liquidate  the  debts  of 
churches— Covetousness  must  be  eradicated 222 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Sanctification  and  benevolence  go  together— Those  in  middling 
circumstances  most  liberal — If  all  were  so,  there  would  be  no 
lack— This  not  done— Why  not— Importance  of  the  subject- 
Methodists  generally  thriving— Covetousness  not  confined  to 
the  rich— To  ascertain  whether  aU  give  according  to  their  abi- 
lity, the  missionarj'  cause  examined — Great  deficiency — The 
same  supposed  in  other  departments — The  duty  of  liberality 
pressed  upon  all  preachers  and  people 231 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Holiness  essential  to  vigorous  action— The  Church  acts  through 
her  ministers — Curse  of  mere  formal  ministers — Learning 
sanctified  by  grace — Advantages  of  the  present  over  former 
ministers — This  increases  responsibihty- Eminent  talents 
compatible  with  deep  piety — Examples  of  tliis — Does  not  ex- 
clude others — The  whole  pressed  upon  the  reader 240 

CHAPTER  XX\TI. 
Erroneous  method  of  converting  sinners,  particularly  the  Ro- 
man Catholics— True  method— (5nr  example  must  be  good — 


CONTENTS.  13 

Love  and  meekness  must  be  exhibited — Contrast  between 
Popery  and  Protestantism — Religion  of  love  must  be  propa- 
gated by  love — Erroneous  method  pursued  towards  Roman 
Catholics — TJie  parties  in  our  country — Real  Cliristians — 
Nominal  Christians — Semi-infidels  and  bare-faced  infidels — • 
The  latter  no  indifferent  spectators — Watching  for  faults 
among  Christians — True  method  to  be  pursued — Combinations 
to  put  down  any  sect  wrong — Not  apostolic — Nor  sanctioned 
by  either  Luther  or  Wesley — Successful  method — It  must  be 
pvusued  in  love — After  the  example  of  our  Saviour — Such  will 
succeed Page  252 

CHAPTER  XXVin. 
Time  for  action — Claims  superior  to  the  ancient  crusade — This 
peaceful  and  saving — Home  work — Common  error  to  be 
avoided — If  the  whole  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  were 
deeply  devoted  and  actively  engaged,  how  much  good  might 
be  accomplished— Much  more  were  the  entire  evangelical 
world  thus  engaged — Sanctification  gives  enlarged  views — 
Contrast  between  such  and  others— Were  ministers  and  peo- 
ple thus  devoted,  how  much  good  would  be  done — Tliis  may 
be  accompUshed— Motives  to  try 2C6 

CHAPTER  XXrX. 

Recapitulation— defects  allowed— Facts  and  arguments  unavail- 
able— Thanks  to  those  who  have  volunteered  their  aid — 
Anonymous  assailants  unworthy  of  notice — Comparison  be- 
tween her  present  strength  and  former  feebleness— Two 
characters  prone  to  find  fault — The  sleepy  professor  and  the 
one  recently  awakened— Bright  prospects — Much  yet  remains 
to  be  done — subjects  chiefly  dwelt  upon — How  the  work  must 
be  spread — The  work  of  sanctification  must  be  pressed — A 
word  to  the  Methodists — Entire  consecration  necessary  to 
the  realization  of  our  hopes 27y 


APPENDIX 


No.  I. 


An  examination  of  the  definition,  "  Methodism  without  pliiloso- 
phy"— A  reply  to  P. — Two  errors  do  not  constitute  a  truth— 
The  author  deviates  from  his  general  rule,  for  the  purpose  of 
testing  the  solidity  of  the  above  maxim — He  acknowledges  an 
inadvertence  in  language— On  tliis  account  excuses  P.  for 
some  tilings  he  has  said,  but  rebukes  him  for  others — These 
tilings  an  evidence  of  human  infirmity — The  erroneousness  of 
the  definition — It  excludes  doctrines,  usages,  and  ordinances 
— Makes  Methodism  without  body  and  soul — The  definition 
denied — It  contemns  God's  inspired  messengers — The  reform- 
ers— Wesley  himself — Theological  schools  not  the  nurseries  of 
heresies — Proved  n  sundry  insitances — Nor  are  colleges — An 
apology  for  these  schools — May  be  useful — If  Methodism  be 
rehgion  without  philosophy,  then  no  true  religion  till  Method- 
ism arose— Tliis  proved— What  Methodism  is Page  291 

No.  II. 

No  good  perceived  from  the  personal  coming  of  Christ ;  though, 
if  this  were  plainly  revealed,  we  ought  to  believe  it  neverthe- 
less—No such  fact  revealed — ^Examination  of  those  texts 
generally  relied  on — Do  not  prove  the  fact — If  he  were  thus  to 
come,  it  would  be  as  a  man  ;  of  course  his  personal  appear- 
ance must  be  restricted  to  a  particular  place — Hence  he  could 
profit  comparatively  but  few  at  a  time — These  difficulties 
overcome  by  liis  spiritual  manifestation — This  answers  all  the 
ends  of  his  intercession — In  this  way  he  can  accomphsh 
a  great  work  in  a  short  time — The  character  of  the  millennium 
— Not  all  righteous — Proved  from  Daniel  xii,  10,  and  Rev. 
XX,  8-10 — Gog  and  Magog,  what — During  the  period  of  MUlen- 
nisd  glory-  some  remain  wicked — More  important  to  have  the 
heart  right  than  our  mere  speculations 308 


STATE    AND    PROSPECTS 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  state  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church — Erroneous  views 
—Diminution  of  Members  for  three  years  past  allowed— How 
accounted  for — The  Millerite  delusion — Great  increase  in  1843 
and  1844— Subsequent  sifting— The  present  compared  with 
former  diminutions — All  this  no  proof  of  backsliding — So  far 
from  it,  that  we  now  have  a  greater  proportion  of  the  popula- 
tion than  formerly — All  this,  cause  of  gratitude. 

Much  has  been  written,  of  late,  respecting  the 
state  and  prospects  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Some,  indeed,  have  lamented  over  the 
Church  as  though  they  believed  it  had  achieved  its 
mission,  or  Avas  about  to  be  laid  aside  for  having 
abused  its  trust,  or  misapplied  its  energies,  and 
was  therefore  no  longer  to  be  an  agent  in  the 
hand  of  God  in  effecting  good  for  the  human 
family.  These  melancholy  conclusions  have 
been  drawn  from  the  fact  that  there  has  been  a 
diminution  in  the  number  of  its  members  for 
some  years  past ;  though,  latterly,  tliere  has 
been  an  encouraging  increase,  which  appears  to 


16  DIMINUTION    OF    NUMBERS. 

be  an  indication  that  God  is  about  to  visit  His 
heritage  again  in  mercy.  I  have  read  these  la- 
mentations with  a  mixture  of  sui'prise  and  regret, 
believing  that  the  writers  have  been  led  astray 
by  their  prejudices,  or  have  drawn  their  conclu- 
sions from  too  superficial  or  contracted  a  view  of 
the  subject. 

The  fact,  however,  is  allowed,  that  there  has 
been  a  diminution  in  the  number  of  church-mem- 
bers. In  1845,  there  was  a  diminution  of  3 1,763  ; 
in  1846,  12,343 ;  and  m  1847,  12,741,  making 
the  entire  loss,  during  those  three  years,  56,847. 

Now,  in  order  to  see  how  this  loss  may  affect 
the  vital  energies  of  the  Church,  we  will  com- 
pare it  with  the  unusually  large  increase  in  the 
years  1843  and  1844. 

In  1843,  the  increase  was  154,634.  In  1844, 
the  increase  was  102,831,  making  the  entire  m- 
crease  for  those  two  years,  257,465.  Now,  sub- 
tract from  this  number  the  56,847,  which  is  the 
estimated  amount  -of  loss  for  the  three  years 
mentioned,  and  it  will  leave  200,618,  the  net 
increase  during  those  five  years.  But  for  the 
year  1848,  there  was  an  increase  of  7,508;  and 
in  1849,  of  23,249,  making  a  net  increase  for 
these  two  years,  of  30,757  ;  so  that  the  entire 
increase  for  the  last  seven  years,  after  deducting 
all  the  losses,  is  231,375. 


ACCOUNTED    FOR.  17 

To  enable  us  to  account  for  the  diminution 
during  the  years  1845,  1846,  and  1847,  we 
must  take  into  consideration  the  circumstances 
which,  it  is  highly  probable,  led  to  the  large  in- 
crease of  the  two  years  previous.  During  those 
years,  and  more  especially  in  the  year  1843, 
the  minds  of  the  people  were  greatly  excited 
with  the  Millerite  delusion,  under  the  influence 
of  which  thousands  of  the  people  were  induced 
to  believe  that  the  world  was  soon  to  come  to 
an  end.  In  full  view  of  this  awful  catastrophe, 
they  were  led  to  call  on  God  for  mercy,  and 
perhaps  most  of  them  were  soundly  converted 
to  God ;  while  many  others  became  apparently 
religious,  under  the  influence  of  an  artificial  ex- 
citement. I  say  probably  most  of  them  were 
soundly  converted  to  God  ;  for,  taking  into  view 
the  whole  of  the  diniinution,  it  still  appears, 
from  the  facts  above  stated,  that  out  of  257,445, 
the  whole  number  received  during  the  preva- 
lence of  that  excitement,  all  but  56,847  have 
stood  fast.  The  proportion  which  this  loss  bears 
to  the  gain,  is  nearly  the  same  as  the  proportion 
between  the  loss  of  probationers  received  and 
the  whole  number  of  those  probationers ;  for  I 
believe  it  is  generally  allowed,  that  no  more  than 
three-fourths  of  those  who  liave  been  received  on 
probation,  have  graduated  to  full  membership ; 


18  DIMINUTION    OF    NUMBERS. 

and  this  is  about  the  proportion  of  those  that  have 
been  lost  during  the  years  above  mentioned. 

But  if  this  loss  is  to  be  taken  as  a  proof  of  a 
low  state  of  vital  piety  in  the  Church,  and  that 
God  has  forsaken  her,  what  shall  we  say  of 
other  periods,  in  former  days,  when  a  greater 
proportionate  diminution  in  numbers  was  wit- 
nessed? Thus,  in  HIS,  when  there  were  only 
6,095  members  in  the  Church,  there  was  a  di- 
minution of  872,  which  was  a  loss  of  about  1  in  1. 
In  1795,  when  the  whole  number  of  church- 
members  was  60,604,  there  was  a  diminution 
of  6,317,  which  was  a  loss  of  about  1  in  9.  In 
1845,  there  was  a  diminution  of  31,769,  and 
the  whole  number  of  church-members  was 
1,139,587,  which  was  a  loss  of  about  1  in  35. 
So,  then,  notwithstanding  the  hue  and  cry  about 
the  want  of  zeal  and  skill  in  the  ministry,  and 
the  lukewarmness  and  backsliding  of  the  mem- 
bership, the  proportion  of  those  that  were  lately 
lost  to  the  Church' was  by  no  means  equal  to — 
nay,  it  was  nearly  three-fourths  less  than — that 
which  happened  in  the  years  1778  and  1795  ; 
and  yet  God  has  been  so  eminently  present  with 
his  ministers  and  people,  and  has  blessed  the 
labour  of  their  hands  so  abundantly,  that  the 
Church  has  increased  in  numbers  so  rapidly, 
that  in  1843  the  membership  had  accumulated 


NOT   TERMANENT.  19 

to  the  amount  of  1,068,525 ;  and  in  1844, 
1,171,356  ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  diminution 
since  that  time,  the  present  number  of  church- 
members,  including  the  North  and  the  South,  is 
1,114,509.  So  propitiously  has  the  Lord  smiled 
upon  us ! 

There  is  another  point  of  view  in  which  this 
subject  may  be  considered,  which  will  afford  us 
equal  cause  of  gratitude  to  the  great  Head  of 
the  Church.  In  1795,  our  numbers  were 
60,604,  and  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  our 
country  was  then  estimated  at  about  4,000,000. 
This  would  give  to  our  Church  one  member 
for  eveiy  sixty  of  the  population.  Allowing 
the  present  population  of  our  country  to  be 
20,000,000,  and  allowing  the  number  of  church- 
members  to  be  a  little  over  1,000,000,  it  will 
give  at  least  one  church-member  to  every  twenty 
of  the  population ;  so  that  we  have  not  only 
increased  in  the  absolute  number  of  our  church- 
members,  but  the  ^^rqpor^w^ia^e  number  has 
made  a  rapid  advance  upon  the  population, 
having  become  just  three  times  as  great  now  as 
it  was  fifty-three  years  ago.  All  this,  be  it  re- 
membered, notwithstanding  the  increase  of 
evangelical  preaching,  zeal,  and  efficiency,  in 
other  denominations,  in  the  midst  of  whom  we 
have  been  laboming. 


20  DIMINUTION    OF    NUMBERS. 

Instead,  therefore,  of  lamenting  over  our  de- 
ficiency— although  God  knows  we  have  faults 
enough  to  humble  us  in  the  dust — we  have 
abundant  cause  of  gratitude  to  the  great  Head 
of  the  Chiu-ch  for  the  merciful  manner  in  which 
he  has  favoured  our  feeble,  though,  I  trust, 
sincere  endeavours  to  advance  his  cause  upon 
the  earth. 


CHAPTER   11. 

Decrease  but  temporary- — Its  causes — Disputes  between  the 
North  and  South — The  Mexican  War — Compared  with  the 
War  of  1813-1815 — Like  results  produced — The  abolition  ex- 
citement— Tlie  fact,  therefore,  of  a  diminution  in  numbers 
no  proof  of  a  departure  from  vital  piety — On  the  contrary,  we 
have  evidence  of  improvement. 

It  may  be  said  by  some,  that  the  great  increase 
in  the  membership  in  1843  and  1844,  should 
have  been  followed  by  a  proportionate  increase 
for  the  following  year,  in  order  to  prove  that 
the  Church  has  not  deteriorated  in  her  piety,  or 
become  lax  in  her  appliances  for  the  salvation 
of  men.  To  this  I  answer,  that  allowing  this 
should  have  been  the  case,  such  a  conclusion  by 
no  means  follows,  as  the  diminution  may  have 
originated  from  other  causes,  and  causes  too 
beyond  the  reach  of  human  control,  at  least  so 
far  as  the  Church,  in  her  collective  capacity,  is 


TEMPORARY   CAUSES.  21 

concerned ;  and  whatever  the  causes  may  have 
been,  I  humbly  trust  they  were  but  temporary 
m  their  character,  for  it  seems  that  akeady  the 
Lord  is  visiting  his  heritage  again  with  the  re- 
viving influences  of  his  Spirit,  as  there  was  an 
increase,  in  1848,  of  upwards  of  7,000  ;  and  in 
1849,  of  23,240,  making  an  increase  for  the  two 
past  years  of  upwards  of  30,000.  Though  it 
might  be  expected,  that  after  such  an  unusual 
ingathering  of  souls  in  the  two  years  above 
mentioned,  namely,  upwards  of  256,000,  under 
the  impulses  produced  by  such  causes  as  were 
then  at  work,  all,  to  be  sure,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Him,  who  made  them  subservient  to 
His  purposes  of  love  to  the  human  family,  yet 
there  were  other  causes  at  work  during  the 
years  1845,  1846,  and  184Y,  which  may  be  as- 
signed as  a  reason  for  the  diminution,  without 
supposing  that  any  permanent  departure  from 
our  ancient  landmarks,  either  in  doctrine,  disci- 
pline, or  practical  piety,  had  taken  place. 

In  the  first  place,  the  disputes  between  the 
North  and  the  South,  during  that  ominous  pe- 
riod, no  doubt  had  a  deleterious  influence  upon 
the  interests  of  true  rehgion.  These  disputes, 
in  the  manner  in  which  they  were  conducted, 
certainly  had  a  tendency  to  impair  Christian 
confidence  in  one  another,  and  thus  to  unfit  the 


22  DIMINUTION    OF    NUMBERS. 

mind  of  believers  for  close  communion  with  God. 
But  as  this  unhappy  state  of  things  is  noTv  sub- 
siding, and  personal  recriminations,  so  disgrace- 
ful to  the  parties  concerned,  are  giving  place  to 
a  return  of  brotherly  love  and  mutual  confidence, 
I  would  touch  upon  this  subject  lightly,  and 
would  not,  indeed,  have  alluded  to  it  at  all,  were 
it  not  necessary  to  account  for  this  temporary 
depression  of  the  Church.  How  far  these  things 
may  have  afifected  us,  more  particularly  here  in 
the  northern  department  of  the  Church,  it  may 
be  difficult  to  tell ;  but  it  is  a  truth  which  cannot 
be  disputed,  that  we  have  suffered  a  greater 
diminution  in  chm-ch-members  than  they  have 
in  the  South,  if  indeed  they  have  suffered  any 
at  all,  for  I  believe  they  have  had  a  steady, 
though,  comparatively,  a  small  mcrease.  But 
leaving  this  part  of  the  subject  with  this  slight 
allusion  to  it — for  I  have  no  wish  to  revive  those 
heart-burnings  which,  I  trust,  are  now  nearly 
extinguished — I  woiild  remark  in  the 

Second  place,  that  the  war-spirit  which  per- 
vaded our  land  during  the  years  above  men- 
tioned, no  doubt  contributed  its  full  share  toward 
the  result  we  here  deprecate.  This  spirit  has 
always  been  found  exceedingly  imfriendly  to  the 
diffusion  of  pure  and  undefiled  reHgion  ;  for  the 
spirit  and  practice  of  war,   and  the  spirit  and 


TEMPORARY    CAUSES.  23 

practice  of  piety,  are  generally  incompatible 
with  each  other,  and  cannot,  therefore,  long  co- 
exist in  the  same  person.  In  1814,  during  the 
war  between  this  country  and  Great  Britain, 
when  the  total  number  of  our  chmxh-members 
was  211,129,  (not  as  many  as  was  our  increase 
in  1843  and  1844,)  our  decrease  was  3,178,  which 
was  one  to  about  sixty -five,  more  than  half  the 
proportionate  decrease  of  1846;  and  had  the 
like  causes  existed  at  that  time  as  above  men- 
tioned in  the  latter  case,  the  like  result  might 
have  been  witnessed ;  and  as,  in  the  former  in- 
stance, the  injurious  effects  were  but  temporary, 
and  ceased  with  the  cause  which  produced 
them,  so,  I  humbly  trust,  as  the  war  with  Mexico 
has  now  happily  ended,  the  spirit  of  piety  will 
resume  its  wonted  tone,  and  revivals  of  religion 
will  again  pervade  our  land,  as  indeed  they  have 
already  begun  to  do. 

In  1836,  there  was  a  decrease  of  2,283.  This 
was  during  the  abolition  excitement,  which  pro- 
duced agitations  and  disputes  similar  to  those 
which  arose  at  a  later  period,  between  the  North 
and  the  South,  and  had  a  like  injurious  influence 
upon  the  interests  of  pure  religion,  and  finally 
ended  in  a  small  secession.  These  sad  effects, 
however,  disappeared  with  the  cause  which  pro- 
duced them,  and  God    afterwards  visited  the 


24  DIMINUTION    OF    NUMBERS. 

Churcli  Tvitli  one  of  the  most  remarkable  revi- 
vals of  religion  ever  witnessed  in  our  country. 
And  may  we  not  hope  that  when  the  bickerings 
above  alluded  to  shall  have  entirely  ceased,  and 
God's  ministers  and  people  shall  give  themselves 
wholly  up  to  his  work,  and  stiive  together  for 
the  promotion  of  his  cause,  a  like  heavenly  in- 
fluence will  be  felt  throughout  all  our  borders  ? 

Notwithstanding  the  disastrous  results  we 
have  been  considering  in  the  diminution  of 
church-members,  though  it  may  not  be — and 
indeed  is  not,  as  I  beheve — an  undeniable  proof 
of  a  diminution  of  piety,  the  fact  itself  has  been 
overruled  for  our  good.  It  has  tended  to  hum- 
ble us,  has  led  to  heart-searchinirs,  to  a  thoroucrh 
examination  of  ourselves,  and  has  induced  us  to 
investigate  the  causes  of  this  seeminsf  declension ; 
and  as  far  as  they  have  been  ascertained,  to  re- 
move them  out  of  the  way  ;  and  likewise  to  ex- 
cite a  spirit  of  fervent  prayer  and  renewed  dili- 
gence, that  God  may  be  pleased  to  pour  out  his 
Spirit,  and  revive  and  spread  his  work  among 
the  people. 

It  will  be  perceived  that  while  the  fact  is 
allowed — as  indeed  it  cannot  be  controverted — 
that  there  has  been  a  diminution  of  church- 
members,  and  some  of  the  supposed  causes  have 
been  detected  and  pointed  out,  yet  it  is  believed 


NO    GROUKD    OP   ALARM.  2§ 

tliat  tliese  causes  are  but  temporary  in  their 
character,  and  might,  indeed,  have  been  avoided, 
had  prudent  measures  been  adopted ;  and  that, 
therefore,  they  do  not  prove  that  there  has  been, 
on  the  whole,  any  essential  deterioration  in  the 
Church,  any  departure  from  her  primitive  doc- 
trine or  discipline,  or  in  the  general  spirit  and 
practice  of  piety,  either  among  the  preachers  or 
people  :  on  the  contrary,  I  believe  it  is  suscepti- 
ble of  substantial  proof,  that  by  a  comparison 
of  the  last  twenty  or  thirty  years,  with  any 
former  period  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Chui'ch, 
it  will  be  found  that  there  has  been  most  mani- 
fest improvement  in  almost  every  respect — im- 
provements of  a  highly  beneficial  character — of 
a  character  highly  beneficial  to  the  best  interests 
of  mankind  —  temporal,  intellectual,  spiritual, 
and  eternal  interests ! 

This  opinion  involves  topics  too  numerous  to 
be  discussed  in  this  chapter,  and  will  require  a 
statement  of  facts  too  numerous  to  be  spread 
out  in  a  narrow  space  ;  and  they  will,  therefore, 
be  taken  up  in  subsequent  chapters,  together 
with  such  arguments  as  may  be  considered 
necessaiy  to  sustain  the  opinion  above  expressed. 


26  SUBSTANTIAL  PROGRESS. 


CHAPTER   III. 

Evils  allowed  to  exist^ — Tliese  are  exceptions— The  majority  truly 
pious — Evidences  of  improvement — Temporally  in  wealth — 
la  church  building — Comparison  between  our  present  and 
former  state  in  this  respect. 

I  HAVE  said  that,  comparing  the  present  state 
of  the  Church,  or  its  state  for  twenty  or  thirty- 
years  past,  with  any  former  period,  there  has 
been  a  manifest  improvement  in  almost  every 
respect.  This  assertion  I  shall  now  endeavour 
to  demonstrate.  Let  no  one  suppose,  however, 
tliat  I  am  so  blind  to  the  existence  of  facts,  as 
not  to  admit  that  there  are,  and  have  been,  evils 
among  us  —  that  there  are  individuals,  both 
preachers  and  people,  who  are  not  as  they  ought 
to  be — who  are  proud,  vain,  and  criminally  selfish 
— that  such  seek  then-  own  glory  instead  of  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  that  others  have 
disgraced  themselves  and  the  cause  they  had 
espoused  by  gross  apostasies  ;  but,  I  would  ask, 
at  what  period  of  our  history  have  not  these 
evils  existed  ?  Those  who  are  acquainted  with 
our  early  history,  know  full  well  that  obstinate 
heretics  sprang  up  at  that  time — that  some, 
even  among  the  early  preachers,  became  gross 
apostates,  and  thus  disgraced  themselves  and 
their  brethren  by  their  evil  deeds.     I  have  been 


INCIDENTAL   EVILS.  2*1 

acquainted  with  Methodism  for  about  forty-nine 
years,  and  I  think  I  may  say  in  truth,  that  I 
knew  as  many,  if  indeed  not  more,  in  the  early 
days  of  my  experience,  in  proportion  to  their 
number,  that  were  not  as  they  ought  to  have 
been,  both  among  preachers  and  people,  as  may 
be  seen  now.  We  were  always  troubled,  more 
or  less,  with  uneasy  spirits — with  mercenary  men 
and  women — with  disgusting  egotists,  whose 
vanity  betrayed  the  emptiness  of  their  brains, 
whose  ignorance  made  them  invincible  to  the 
impressions  of  truth,  and  whose  selfishness  ob- 
truded itself  into  every  society  in  which  they 
appeared  ;  with  backsliders,  hypocrites,  and 
apostates,  whose  vices  were  ultimately  exhibited 
to  the  view  of  all  with  whom  they  became  ac- 
quainted— and  with  covetous,  mercenary  beings, 
who  gave  evidence  they  loved  their  gold  (if  they 
were  so  fortunate  as  to  have  any,  and,  if  not,  by 
their  repinings  at  those  who  had  it)  better  than 
their  God — I  say  these  evil-minded  persons 
always  were  found  among  us,  are  among  us  still, 
and  I  suppose  always  will  be  ;  but  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  they  are  more  numerous  now,  in  pro- 
portion to  our  numbers,  than  they  were  in  any 
former  period,  if  indeed  they  are  as  much  so. 

But  these  are  exceptions — mortifying  excep- 
tions, it  is  true — to  the  general  character  of  the 


28  SUBSTANTIAL  PROGRESS. 

Methodists.  I  firmly  believe  that  the  great  ma- 
jority of  our  church-members,  including  minis- 
ters and  people,  and  I  have  had  a  pretty  good 
opportunity  of  knowing  them,  have  been  sin- 
cerely devoted  to  God,  have  been  actuated  by 
the  purest  motives,  have  felt  the  love  of  God 
and  man  to  be  the  ruling  principle  of  their 
hearts,  the  evidence  of  which  has  been  furnished 
by  the  rectitude  of  then*  conduct ; — they  have 
piBoved  that  they  loved  God  hy  keeping  his 
commandments.  This  belief  is  founded  upon 
an  intimate  acquaintance  with  them  for  about 
fifty  years,  dming  which  time  I  have  had  an 
opportunity  of  familiarizing  myself  with  minis- 
ters and  people,  from  the  highest  order  in  the 
ministry  to  the  lowest — bishops,  elders,  deacons, 
and  preachers,  and  the  various  official  members 
of  the  Church,  trustees,  stewards,  and  class- 
leaders,  as  well  as  the  more  private  members — 
having  transacted  business  with  them,  mingled 
in  their  councils,  iri  conferences,  quarterly,  an- 
nual, and  general,  attended  class-meetings,  and 
the  various  other  means  of  grace ;  and  from  this 
intimate  knowledge  of  all  the  affairs  of  the 
Church,  I  certainly  have  had  a  favoui-able  op- 
portunity of  judging  of  their  motives,  so  far  as 
motives  may  be  ascertained  from  words  and 
actions :  and  from  all  these  soiu-ces  of  informa- 


IN   TEMPORAL   THINGS.  29 

tion,  I  am  led  to  the  conclusion  that,  whatever 
may  be  said  of  certain  individuals,  whose  cha- 
racter may  be  considered  somewhat  dubious,  the 
great  majority  are  as  before  described. 

These  things  being  premised, — and  they  have 
been  mentioned  to  prevent  any  one  from  sup- 
posing that  I  am  either  so  blind  as  not  to  see 
faults,  or  so  obstinate  as  not  to  admit  them, — I 
proceed  to  state  some  of  the  evidences  of  our 
improvement. 

We  have  improved  temporally.  The  most 
of  those  who  embraced  Methodism  in  its  early 
days  were  among  the  poorer  class  of  so- 
ciety. In  consequence  of  their  embracing  the 
religion  of  the  Lord  Jesus — and  this  is  what  I 
understand  by  their  becoming  Methodists — they 
have  become  sober,  industrious,  frugal  in  their 
manner  of  living,  and  thus  many  have  become 
wealthy  ;  others  are  in  comfortable  and  thriving 
circumstances ;  while  comparatively  few  are 
suffering  from  poverty,  but  most  of  them  are 
reaping  the  fruits  of  honest  industry.  And  let 
no  one  suppose  that  temporal  good  is  not  one 
of  the  blessinjTS  of  the  reli;]^ion  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Did  not  Jesus  Christ  present  this 
among  the  motives  to  induce  the  people  to  en- 
ter Ilis  service  ?  "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom 
of   God  and  his  righteousness,  and  all   these 


30  SUBSTANTIAL  PKOGRESS. 

things  shall  be  added  unto  you," — that  is,  all 
those  temporal  blessings  of  -which  he  had  been 
speaking.  And  did  not  the  Saviour  say  to 
Peter,  in  answer  to  his  interrogatory,  what  he 
should  receive  who  had  left  all  for  Christ's 
sake, — "  No  man  that  hath  left  houses,  or  lands, 
wife,"  (fee,  **but  he  shall  receive  an  hundred 
fold  in  this  time,  and  in  the  world  to  come  life 
everlasting  ?"  Thus  "  godliness  is  profitable  for 
all  things,  having  the  promise  of  the  hfe  that 
now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come."  So 
far,  therefore,  from  worldly  prosperity  being  a 
mark  of  imgodliness,  it  is  enumerated  by  the 
Lord  Jesus  himself,  and  included  by  his  apos- 
tles, among  the  blessings  of  God's  kingdom ;  and 
many  have  experienced  the  fulfilment  of  the 
promise,  by  receiving  even  a  hundred-fold  in 
this  life  for  the  small  sacrifice  they  were  induced 
to  make  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven's  sake. 
The  danger  is,  of  so  setting  their  hearts  upon 
riches  as  to  make  them  their  principal  treasure, 
and  neglecting  to  become  rich  toward  God,  by 
dispensing  abroad,  clothing  the  naked,  feeding 
the  poor,  and  making  the  hearts  of  the  widow 
and  fatherless  to  rejoice,  and  thus  laying  by  a 
**  good  foundation  against  the  time  to  come, 
that  they  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  hfe." 

Whether  or  not   the   Methodists  have  done 


IN  CHURCH  BUILDING.  31 

this,  and  are  still  doing  it,  according  to  their 
ability,  let  us  inquire  what  they  have  done,  and 
are  still  doing,  to  advance  the  cause  of  Christ. 
In  the  first  place,  they  have  much  improved  in 
church  building.  Those  who  have  been  ac- 
quainted with  our  circuits  and  stations  for  twen- 
ty, thirty,  and  forty  years  past,  and  who  can 
compare  our  houses  of  worship  then  with  what 
they  are  now,  will  be  struck  with  the  contrast, 
and  will  praise  God  for  the  improvement  in  this 
respect.  In  former  days,  most  of  the  preaching- 
places,  more  particularly  in  the  country  villages 
and  settlements,  were  private  houses,  school- 
houses,  barns,  and  groves  ;  even  when  a  church 
edifice  was  erected,  a  site  was  generally  selected 
in  some  obscure  retreat,  remote  from  the  centre 
of  population,  as  though  the  Methodists  were 
ashamed  to  be  seen  and  heard  by  their  neigh- 
bours ;  and  even  this  small  edifice  was  frequently 
but  half  finished,  and  left  to  fall  down  under  its 
own  rottenness.  In  this  respect  there  is  a  mighty 
improvement,  such  an  improvement  as  must  be 
encouraging  to  the  hearts  of  all  God's  people. 
Now  there  are  large  and  commodious  houses  of 
worship,  not  only  in  our  populous  cities — where 
indeed  many  have  been  recently  rebuilt  or  en- 
larged, and  their  number  increased  with  the  ad- 
vancing population, — but  in  almost  every  village 


32  SUBSTANTIAL   PROGRESS. 

and  considerable  settlement  throughout  the  coun- 
try are  found  temples  finished  in  a  neat,  plain 
style,  in  ^Yhich  the  pure  word  of  God  is  preach- 
ed, and  his  ordinances  duly  administered.  How 
has  this  been  accomplished  ?  Very  few  of  the 
rich  men  of  this  world  have  come  to  our  aid. 
The  Methodist  people,  with  their  Umited  means, 
aided,  to  be  sure,  by  a  few  of  their  more  wealthy 
brethren,  have  done  this,  and  they  have  done  it 
with  a  hberahty  and  enterprise  worthy  of  all 
praise,  and  they  ought,  most  assui-edly,  to  have 
credit  for  the  commendable  zeal  they  have  thus 
exemplified  in  the  cause  of  God.  It  is  true 
that  some  of  these  houses  are  deeply  in  debt ; 
but  the  brethren  are  using  means  to  liquidate 
their  debts,  and  I  humbly  trust  that,  by  the 
blessing  of  God  on  their  pious  efforts,  they  will 
not  only  succeed  in  paying  for  those  already 
built,  but  that  they  will  go  forward,  and  erect 
still  more,  as  the  increasing  population  of  the 
country  and  the  Church  shall  demand. 


EDUCATION.  33 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Education  another  evidence  of  improvement— Wesley's  work  in 
this  cause — Efforts  of  Coke  and  Asbury  in  this  cause  failed — 
Effect  of  tliis  failure  disparaging — Recent  efforts  more  success- 
ful—Some opposed  to  this  cause— But  God  has  sanctioned  it 
— Truly  Wesleyan — The  Methodists  have  done  much  to  their 
credit — Who  will  say  that  this  is  no  evidence  of  improvement  ? 

Another  evidence  of  the  improvement  of  the 
Church  is,  the  revival  and  diffusion  of  the  spirit 
and  practice  of  education.  We  know  that  it 
was  a  favourite  object  of  Mr.  Wesley  to  provide 
for  the  education  of  the  youth,  not  only  in  piety, 
but  also  in  literature  and  science.  Hence  the 
early  establishment  of  the  Kingswood  school ; 
and  his  followers  have  added  another  since  his 
death,  and  have  likewise  established  two  theo- 
logical schools,  for  the  training  and  education 
of  such  young  men  in  the  local  ministry  as  are 
on  the  resen^e-list,  in  scientific  and  theoloo^ical 
knowledge,  that  they  may  thereby  become  bet- 
ter quahfied  to  instruct  others. 

At  the  organization  of  our  Church  in  this 
country,  in  1784,  Dr.  Coke  and  Bishop  Asbury 
submitted  a  plan  to  the  Conference  for  the  oe- 
tablishment  of  a  college.  Of  this  the  Conference 
approved,  and  it  was  speedily  carried  into  exe- 
cution ;  the  college  buildings  were  creeled,  and 


34  SUBSTANTIAL  PROGRESS. 

the  scliool  went  into  operation  under  favourable 
circumstances,  and  continued  to  prosper  for 
about  ten  years,  when  the  whole  was  consumed 
by  fire.  A  second  one  soon  after  shared  the 
same  fate.  These  disastrous  occurrences  dis- 
couraged the  friends  of  education,  and  prevented 
any  efforts  from  being  put  forth  in  tins  cause, 
except  some  ineffectual  ones  in  favour  of  district- 
schools,  for  upwards  of  twenty  years;  and,  in- 
deed, such  was  the  apathy  manifested  on  this 
subject,  that  Methodist  preachers  were  accused, 
not  without  some  show  of  reason,  of  being  ene- 
mies of  literature  and  science.  Though  this 
was  not  true  in  its  application  to  all  concerned, 
yet  it  must  be  confessed  that  there  was  too 
much  ground  for  the  taunt  against  the  great 
body,  if  we  may  judge  of  the  disposition  of  the 
heart  by  the  actions  of  the  life. 

But,  whatever  may  be  conceded  to  this  mor- 
tifying objection,  for  upwards  of  twenty  years 
past  the  Church  has  evinced  a  disposition  to 
redeem  herself  from  the  reproach,  by  exerting 
her  energies  to  establish  academies  and  colleges 
in  different  parts  of  her  jurisdiction.  The  first 
successful  effort  in  this  cause  was  made  in  New- 
England,  in  1817,  by  the  founding  of  the  New- 
market Academy ;  the  next,  in  the  city  of 
New- York,  in  1810,  by  the  establishment  of  the 


EDUCATION.  35 

Wesleyan  Seminary.  The  first  college  which 
obtained  a  permanence  was  the  Augusta  Col- 
lege, located  in  the  town  of  Augusta,  State  of 
Kentucky,  in  1823.  In  1831  the  Wesleyan 
University  was  founded,  and  two  others,  namely, 
Randolph  Macon  and  La  Grange. 

The  commencement  of  these  academies  and 
colleges  seemed  to  beget  a  general  desire, 
throughout  the  bounds  of  the  several  annual 
conferences,  to  embark  in  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion ;  and  so  widely  has  this  desire  been  diffused, 
and  so  deeply  has  it  descended  into  the  heart 
of  the  Church,  that  there  have  been  estabhshcd, 
and  are  now  in  successful  operation,  between 
thirty  and  forty  academies,  and  fourteen  colle- 
giate institutions,  including  the  North  and  South ; 
besides  a  number  of  other  academies,  which 
are  so  far  patronized  by  the  conferences  that 
they  appoint  boards  of  visitors,  and  recommend 
them  to  the  patronage  of  our  people.  Here 
then  is  an  improvement  of  vast  importance  to 
the  character,  permanence,  and  prosperity  of 
the  Church. 

I  am  aware  that  there  are  those  among  us 
who  look  upon  these  literary  institutions  with  a 
jealous  eye,  while  others  treat  them  with  cold 
indifference,  and  some  few,  perhaps,  with  hos- 
tility.     Cut  I  am  happy  to  believe  that  the 


36  SUBSTANTIAL  PROGRESS. 

great  majority  of  the  most  influential,  both 
among  preachere  and  people,  hail  this  improve- 
ment as  ominous  of  good  to  the  Church.  I 
have  indeed  regretted  to  see  this  subject — the 
subject  of  education — treated  with  a  sarcastic 
sneer  by  an  aged  writer,  as  though  it  was  the 
oflfspring  of  pride  and  vanity,  indicative  of  a  de- 
generate state  of  the  Church.  It  is  believed, 
however,  that  such  a  sentiinent  has  but  few  sym- 
pathizers, and  that  the  prevailing  spirit  of  the 
age,  and  the  pious  efforts  of  God's  servants, 
will  ultimately  sweep  away  all  these  objections, 
and  put  to  shame  the  cavilling  caricatures  of 
those  who  attempt  to  hold  up  to  ridicule  these 
nurseries  of  leaniing  and  religion. 

That  God  has  sanctioned  them,  is  abundantly 
manifest  from  the  powerful  re-vivals  of  religion 
which  have  prevailed  at  diff'erent  times  among 
the  students.  I  presume  to  say  that  God  has 
visited  them  as  often,  and  as  powerfully,  with 
the  reviving  influences  of  his  Spirit,  as  he  lias 
any  other  places,  even  the  churches  which  are 
under  the  stated  ministry  of  the  woid  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  Gospel,  Hence,  young  men  have 
been  raised  up,  not  only  endowed  with  human 
learning,  but  also  deeply  imbued  with  the  spirit 
of  their  divine  Master,  and  have  gone  forth  as 
flaming  heralds  of  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of 


EDUCATION.  3Y 

God;  and  from  the  colleges  have  issued  men 
competent  to  teach  in  the  academies,  and  other 
colleges,  and  are  now  acting  as  professors,  prin- 
cipals, or  presidents  of  other  institutions  of 
learning.  Who,  then,  will  dare  to  lift  up  his 
voice  against  these  nurseries  of  learning  and  re- 
ligion ?  No  true  son  of  Wesley,  surely.  He 
who  was  so  much  indebted  for  his  celebrity  to 
the  learning  he  acquired  at  Oxford,  who  strove 
so  assiduousl}'-  to  promote  it  among  his  preach- 
ers and  people,  (see  his  "  Address  to  the  Cler- 
gy,") would  be  ashamed  to  acknowledge  any 
man  as  his  genuine  follower,  who  is  an  enemy  to 
those  institutions  which  are  designed  to  diffuse 
the  blessings  of  literature  and  religion  among 
the  youth  of  our  land,  and  more  especially  to 
such  as  have  been  so  eminently  sanctioned  by 
the  great  Head  of  the  Church  as  ours  have 
been. 

Now,  who  have  foimded  these  institutions  ? 
The  answer  is,  The  Methodists  have  done  it. 
For  though  some  generous-minded  individuals 
not  connected  with  our  Church  have  made 
liberal  donations,  and  some  of  the  States  in 
which  they  are  located  have  made  small  appro- 
priations for  their  support,  yet  the  greater  pro- 
portion of  the  money  which  has  been  received 
for  this  purpose  has  been  drawn  from  tJie  pockets 


38  SUBSTANTIAL  PROGRESS. 

of  our  people.     And  here  we  see  one  of  the 

many  benefits  resulting  from  the  temporal  good 
with  which  God  has  blessed  them.  Had  they 
not  embraced  religion,  they  might  have  lived 
and  died  in  poverty ;  but  in  consequence  of  their 
having  done  so,  by  cutting  ofif  all  needless  ex- 
pense, by  being  sober  and  industrious,  they  have 
become  wealthy,  and  have  money  to  spare  for 
pious  and  benevolent  purposes  ;  and  here  is  an 
outlet  for  their  surplus  wealth,  where  they  may 
bestow  their  goods  for  the  benefit  of  themselves 
and  their  posterity. 

I  do  not  say  that  our  more  wealthy  friends 
have  given  to  these  institutions  all  that  they 
might  and  should ;  but  for  what  they  have  done, 
and  are  doing  in  this  important  cause,  they  have 
our  thanks :  and  when  they  shall  fully  feel  how 
much  they  themselves  are  indebted  to  Methodism 
for  what  they  are,  and  for  what  they  possess, 
and  more  especially  for  those  literary  institutions, 
for  which  their  bounty  is  solicited,  they  will  come 
forward  with  liberality  to  place  our  colleges  be- 
yond the  danger  of  pecuniary  embarrassments. 

In  the  face  of  these  facts,  who  will  say  that 
we  have  made  no  improvement  within  twenty 
or  thirty  years  past  ?  Those  who  believe  that 
all  this  has  sprung  from  pride  and  vanity,  will, 
of  course,  mourn  over  it  as  a  calamity — as  an 


MISSIONARY   CAUSE.  89 

infallible  mark  of  our  degeneracy  ;  while  tliose 
who  believe,  as  I  do,  that  it  has  arisen  from  the 
spirit  of  true  piety,  from  an  enlarged  desire 
to  do  good,  and  to  advance  the  present  and 
eternal  interests  of  men,  will  account  it  as  an 
evidence  of  improvement,  and  bless  God  "  for 
the  consolation." 


CHAPTER   y. 

The  Missionary  cause  an  evidence  of  improvement — Origin  of 
the  Missionary  Society — Opposition  encountered— Feebleness 
of  its  beginning — Gradually  advanced — Finally  triumphs — 
What  it  has  acliieved— All  this  a  practical  demonstration  of 
improvement. 

A  FOURTH  evidence  of  the  improvement  which 
this  Church  has  made,  within  twenty  or  thirty 
years  past,  is  to  be  found  in  her  Missionary  de- 
partment. I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  she 
lacked  the  missionary  spirit  in  former  days,  for 
indeed  her  ministry  was  always  a  missionary 
ministry,  always  aggressive  in  its  operations, 
making,  by  its  energetic  labours,  inroads  upon 
the  territories  of  Satan.  Among  modern  mis- 
sionaries, none  equalled  John  Wesley,  eitlier  in 
the  amount,  extent,  or  success  of  his  ministerial 
labours.  His  sons  in  the  Gospel  imbibed  his 
spirit,  and  imitated  his  example,  preaching  the 


40  THE    MISSIONARY    WORK. 

Gospel  of  the  kingdom,  to  the  utmost  extent  of 
their  abilities,  to  "  every  nation  and  kindred  on 
the  earth."  It  was  this  spirit  that  brought  them 
to  this  country,  and  the  fire  which  they  kindled 
up  here  burned  so  intensely  in  the  hearts  of 
those  missionaries  and  their  successors,  that  it 
impelled  them  on  in  their  work,  until  they 
stretched  themselves  over  the  extended  settle- 
ments of  this  continent,  visiting  almost  every 
city,  village,  and  settlement,  even  to  the  remotest 
log  hut  in  the  wilderness.  But  still  there  were 
many  intervening  places  to  be  filled  up,  many 
new  settlements  to  be  supplied,  many  an  Indian 
tribe  to  be  evangelized,  and  many  a  heathen 
nation  to  be  converted  to  Christianity. 

Over  these  desolations  the  more  pious  and 
enlightened  portions  of  the  Church  cast  a  pitying 
eye,  and  sent  up  a  prayer  to  God  for  their  sal- 
vation. On  looking  back  upon  the  history  of 
our  Church,  and  seeing  what  she  had  done  ;  on 
lookinof  forward  and  around,  and  seeincr  what 
was  yet  to  be  done,  and  considering  at  the  same 
time  her  capabilities,  both  temporally  and  spi- 
ritually, of  doing  much  more  than  she  had  done 
for  the  salvation  of  the  world  ;  excited  to  action 
by  a  few  benevolent  spirits,  she  determined  to 
put  forth  her  energies  to  "  extend  her  missionary 
labours  throughout  the  United  States  and  else- 


ITS    RISE.  41 

where."  This  gave  rise  to  the  Missionary  Society 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Consider- 
ing the  state  of  piety  in  the  Church  at  that  time, 
one  would  be  surprised  at  the  objections  which 
were  made,  even  by  men  of  unquestionable  good- 
ness, against  the  formation  of  this  society — some 
impugning  the  motives  of  its  originators,  others 
ranking  it  among  visionary  schemes,  and  not  a 
few  lamenting  over  it,  as  calculated  to  weaken, 
if  not  indeed  to  sap  the  foundations  of  the  itine- 
rancy. The  friends  of  the  measure,  however, 
were  so  conscious  of  the  purity  of  their  motives, 
and  the  rectitude  of  their  conduct,  that  they  per- 
severed in  their  work,  not  stopping  to  answer 
objections,  looking  to  God  for  aid  and  direction, 
fully  believing  that  He  would  sanction,  and  of 
course  prosper,  their  undertaking. 

The  event  has  justified  their  anticipations. 
Never  has  a  cause  been  more  blessed  than  the 
Missionary  cause.  Its  commencement,  to  be 
sure,  was  feeble.  Though  it  was  recognized  by 
the  General  Conference,  which  convened  a  year 
after  its  formation,  namely,  in  1820,  yet  the 
amount  collected  the  first  year  was  only  $823  04, 
and  the  amount  expended  |85  76.  The  next 
year  there  was  reported  as  having  been  received 
$2,328  76,  and  expended  $407  87.  It  seemed 
more   difficult   to    expend  than  to  collect  the 


42  TUE  MISSIONARY  WORK. 

money,  though  the  collections  were  siifBciently 
small ;  so  difficult  indeed  was  it  to  diffuse  the 
missionary  spirit  among  the  preachers  and  peo- 
ple, that  our  bishops  were  fearful  of  selecting 
and  appointing  missionaries,  lest  they  should 
seem  to  trespass  upon  the  funds  of  the  Church. 
This  apathy,  however,  did  not  originate  from 
any  want  of  zeal  in  the  cause  of  God,  nor  from 
any  lack  of  piety  in  the  heads,  or  in  the  Church 
generally,  but  chiefly  from  too  scrupulous  a  re- 
gard for  the  other  interests  of  the  Church,  and 
a  fear  of  appropriating  money  unconstitutionally. 
To  remove  these  scruples,  and  to  obviate  these 
objections,  I  remember  perfectly  well  that  the 
Board  of  Managers  appointed  a  committee  to 
correspond  with  the  bishops,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  induce  them  to  appoint  missionaries,  and 
to  draw  the  funds  for  their  support. 

But  the  cause  gradually  advanced — so  slowly, 
however,  that  from  1819  to  1832,  there  was  a 
balance  reported  in  -the  treasury  each  year,  not- 
withstanding the  greatest  amount  received  for 
any  one  year  was  only  814,176  11.  In  1832 
the  Liberia  Mission  was  commenced,  and  from 
that  time  a  new  spring  seemed  to  be  given  to 
the  Missionary  cause,  for  the  funds  have  gradu- 
ally increased,  and  the  fields  of  labour  have  en- 
larged, imtil  m  1839,  when  the  available  funds 


ITS   RESULTS.  4S 

amounted  to  8139,521  94  ;  and  in  1840  there 
were  expended  $140,498  58,  which  I  believe 
were  the  largest  amounts  ever  received  and  ex- 
pended in  any  one  year. 

Though  after  this  there  was  a  falhng  off,  for 
a  short  time,  it  may  be  accounted  for  without 
supposing  any  derehction  of  evangehcal  piety 
and  zeal  in  the  Church,  as  is  manifest  from  the 
fact  that  latterly  the  sphit  of  Hberality  has  ex- 
panded ;  so  much  so,  that  the  amount  received 
in  1848,  including  the  North  and  South,  was 
$144,223  6G,  which  is  84,701  62  more  than  had 
been  received  for  any  previous  year;  which, 
though  not  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of 
numbers  and  wealth,  shows  that  the  missionary 
spirit  is  rising  among  us.  This,  together  with 
the  enlargement  of  the  missionary  field,  particu- 
larly in  China  and  California,  is  an  encouraging 
omen,  and  should  serve  as  a  memento  of  the 
goodness  of  God. 

Now  let  us  see  what  this  Society  has  done, 
not  merely  in  raising  money,  and  supporting 
men,  but  in  awakening  and  convertmg  sinners. 
I  presume  to  say  that  in  this  latter  work  it  has 
far  outstripped  every  other  Missionary  Society 
in  existence.  Let  any  one  read  its  history,  fol- 
low its  missionaries,  and  look  at  the  evidences — 
most  manifest  and  palpable  evidences — of  the 


44  THE   MISSIONARY  WORK. 

conversion  of  souls,  among  the  aborigines  of  our 
country,  the  slave  population  of  the  South,  in 
the  new  States  and  Territories  of  the  West,  and 
among  the  Germans,  as  well  as  in  Liberia  and 
South  America — though  in  this  last  place  I  grant 
but  little  comparatively  has  been  done — and  he 
will  be  convinced  that  God  has  given  his  sanc- 
tion to  this  Society  in  a  most  eminent  degree. 
During  the  thirty-one  years  of  its  existence, 
notwithstanding  its  feebleness 'for  about  thirteen 
years  of  its  infancy — though  during  that  period 
its  friends  marked  with  pleasure  its  gradual 
growth,  and  perceived  signs  of  health  and  vigour 
which  promised  the  future  strength  of  its  man- 
hood— I  presume  that  it  has  been  instrumental 
of  bringing  upwards  of  GO, 000  souls  into  the 
bosom  of  the  Church,  directly,  besides  its  benign 
influence  in  its  indirect  action  in  stirring  up  the 
spirit  of  prayer,  in  diffusing  a  spirit  of  hberality, 
and  laying  a  foundation  for  the  future  growth 
and  prosperity  of  the  cause  of  God  in  places 
where  it  first  planted  the  Gospel,  and  has  since 
left  them  to  be  provided  for  in  the  more  regular 
way ;  for  it  has  always  been  the  policy  of  this 
Society,  as  soon  as  any  place  became  able  to 
support  itself,  to  withdraw  its  pecuniary  aid, 
and  confine  itself  to  more  new  and  destitute 
places. 


HOME  MISSIONS.  45 

Here  is  another  evidence  of  improvement ; 
and  if  the  missionary  spirit  enters  into  the  very- 
essence  of  the  Gospel,  and  unfolds  it  in  all  its 
loveliness,  and  displays  it  in  all  its  energies — as 
it  undoubtedly  does — then  is  the  manifestation 
of  this  spirit  a  practical  demonstration  of  an 
improved  state  of  piety  in  the  Church.  Here, 
also,  is  another  outlet  for  the  surplus  wealth  of 
our  people,  in  the  application  of  which  they  may 
make  it  tell  on  the  eternal  destinies  of  immortal 
beings.  Instead  of  hoarding  it  up  for  those  who 
may  come  after  them — and  they  know  not 
whether  they  shall  be  wise  men  or  fools — let 
them  deposit  it,  at  least  a  suitable  proportion  of 
it,  in  this  treasury  of  the  Lord,  and  when  he 
shall  come  in  judgment,  he  will  reward  them 
accordingly. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Home  missions — Their  blessed  effects — Other  benevolent  move- 
§  ments — Increased  number  of  books  another  evidence  of  im- 
provement— Origin  of  the  Book-Concern — Its  feebleness — La- 
bours under  a  heavy  debt — No  American  writers— Its  income 
small — Its  present  prosperous  state — This  institution  has  been 
sustained  by  Methodists. 

In  addition  to  the  general  field  of  missionary 
labour,  the  Home  Missions  ought  not  to  ])0 
overlooked.     These  have  sprung  ujj  within  six 


46  PROOFS    OF   TROGRESS. 

or  seven  years  past,  and  have  exerted  a  power- 
ful and  salutary  influence  wherever  they  have 
operated.  I  know  not,  indeed,  how  many  of 
these  exist ;  but  I  know  they  have  one  in  Balti- 
more, another  in  New-York,  and  another  in 
Brooklyn,  and  perhaps  also  in  some  other  places. 
They  have  been  instiimiental  in  enlarging  the 
work  in  the  destitute  portions  of  the  cities,  and 
have  built  several  new  churches.  The  one  in 
the  city  of  Brooklyn,  which  was  commenced  in 
1847,  has  built  one  new  church,  and  paid  for  it, 
enlarged  another,  and  has  been  instrumental  in 
bringing  between  one  and  two  hundred  sinners 
from  darkness  to  hght.  This  has  been  effected 
chiefly  by  Christian  women,  belonging  to  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  that  city;  and 
all  this  has  been  done  by  the  several  churches, 
in  addition  to  the  support  of  the  stationed 
preachers,  and  contributing  their  proportion  to 
the  general  missionary  cause,  and  other  inci- 
dental expenses  of  the  Church.  And  had  I  the 
statistics  of  the  other  Home  Missionary  Societies^ 
I  have  no  doubt  but  that  I  could  state  a  hke 
encouraging  result.  Is  this  no  improvement? 
no  evidence  of  an  increase  of  pious  zeal  in  the 
cause  of  God?  Let  those  who  look  on  with 
cold  indifference,  and  consume  themselves  in 
complaining  of  the  degeneracy  of  the  age,  and 


HOME  MISSIONS.  4T 

whine  over  tlie  desolations  of  the  Chm'ch,  arouse 
themselves  from  thek  lethargy,  enter  into  the 
spirit  and  practice  of  this  holy  cause,  and  they 
v^ill  soon  see  a  different  state  of  things,  and  find 
their  own  hearts  warming  with  love  to  God 
and  the  souls  of  men  ;  and  likewise  feel  a  glow- 
ing gratitude  to  God  for  what  he  has  done,  and 
is  still  doing,  for  the  souls  and  bodies  of  man- 
kind. 

There  are  various  other  benevolent  movements 
which  might  be  mentioned,  some  of  which  have 
been  in  existence  from  the  beginning  of  the 
Church ;  such  as  love-feasts,  and  sacramental 
collections  for  the  poor ;  others  have  been  formed 
more  recently,  and  are  therefore  evidence  of  an 
improvement ;  such  as  associations  in  individual 
churches  for  visiting  the  sick,  providing  food  and 
clothing  for  the  needy  :  all  of  which  arc  the 
genuine  fruits  of  that  expansive  benevolence 
which  the  Gospel  inspires  in  the  hearts  of  all 
true  behevers.  These,  however,  are  only  men- 
tioned by  the  way,  not,  indeed,  because  they  are 
insignificant  in  themselves — for  they  are  the 
genuine  offspring  of  that  religion  which  Jesus 
Christ  imparts  to  all  his  followers — but  because 
they  do  not  belong  so  generally  to  the  whole 
Church. 

The  next  thing  I  would  bring  forward  more 


48  PROOFS    OF    PROGRESS. 

prominently,  as  an  evidence  of  intellectual  im- 
provement, is  the  increased  number  of  our  pub- 
lications. We  commenced  our  Book-Concern 
as  early  as  1789  ;  its  beginning  was  small,  and 
its  progress  exceedingly  slow.  This,  to  be  sure, 
miglit  have  been  expected,  from  the  infancy  of 
the  Church,  and  the  want  of  capital  to  set  up 
with — of  facilities  for  printing  and  circulating 
books.  Yet  these  circumstances  could  not  jus- 
tify the  apathy  on  this  subject ;  for  so  little  zeal 
was  displayed  in  favom*  of  printing  and  circu- 
lating books,  that  in  the  year  1813,  there  were 
only  twenty-four  diflferent  publications  on  sale  at 
the  Book-Room  ;  and  one  of  these.  Coke's  Com- 
mentary, was  imported  from  England.  Leaving 
this  out  of  the  account,  a  copy  of  each  work 
published  might  be  purchased  for  829  7o  ;  and 
among  these  were  but  three  American  publica- 
tions, namely,  Abbott's  and  Watters'  Life,  and 
the  Scriptural  Catechism.  All  the  rest  were 
reprints  of  books  majiufactured  in  England.  And 
such  was  the  lack  of  zeal  in  this  cause,  that 
though  the  General  Conference,  in  1812,  in  tlie 
midst  of  opposition  from  several  delegates — for 
I  distinctly  remember  all  these  things — ordered 
a  resumption  of  the  Magazine,  and  appointed 
committees  to  collect  materials  for  a  history  of 
uiu-  Church,  yet  nothing  wiis  done  in  either  one 


PUBLICATIONS.  49 

case  or  the  other.  No  Magazine  was  published 
until  two  years  after  the  next  General  Confer- 
ence, in  1816,  nor  any  materials  collected  for  a 
history.  And  such  was  the  languishing  state 
of  this  Concern,  that  it  was  in  dano-er  of  sinkinp' 
under  its  own  weight ;  no  new  publications  of 
any  consequence  were  added ;  but  only  the  same 
books  were  reprinted,  so  that  its  debts  were 
accumulating,  without  any  adequate  means  to 
liquidate  them ;  and  it  would,  in  all  probability, 
have  become  bankrupt,  and  have  gone  down,  to 
the  disgrace  of  the  Church,  had  not  new  means 
been  used  to  invigorate  its  energies,  and  to  ex- 
pand its  capacities.  This  was  done  by  adding 
to  the  list  of  its  publications,  by  resuming  the 
Magazine,  by  pm-chasing  Clarke's  Commentary, 
by  setting  up  a  bindery  and  printing-office, 
by  altering  the  plan  of  selling  the  books,  -and  by 
establishing  weekly  periodicals  ;  and,  finally,  by 
enlisting  the  talents  of  our  preachers  in  the  art 
of  writing  for  the  public. 

During  the  dark  days  I  have  been  reviewing, 
we  had  scarcely  a  single  writer  on  this  side  of 
the  water,  who  dared  to  put  his  pen  to  paper. 
Excepting  the  Scriptural  Catechism  by  the 
Rev.  John  Dickens — a  most  estimable  man — 
Garrettson's,  Abbott's,  and  Watters'  Lives,  and 
a  few  pieces  which  l^ad  appeared  in  the  Armi- 
4 


50  PROOFS   OF  PnOGRESS. 

nian  Magazine  in  1'789  and  1790,  not  an  Ameri- 
can publication  appeared,  unless  now  and  then 
a  straggling  pamphlet,  "whicli  hardly  breathed  the 
breath  of  life,  and  the  most  of  which,  as  Hume 
said  of  one  of  his  Essays,  "  fell  still-bom  from 
the  press."  This  was  the  general  state  of  things 
for  about  thirty  years,  namely,  from  ITSO  to 
1818,  when  new  life  began  to  be  infused  into 
our  press,  and  it  has  been  gradually  growing 
and  impro\Tng  from  that  day  to  this. 

During  these  periods,  though  for  the  most  of 
the  time  there  were  but  seven  annual  conferences, 
the  Book-Concern  never  paid  over  $300  a  year 
to  each  conference,  and  sometimes  not  over 
$150,  and  even  this  came  out  of  borrowed 
money ;  for,  as  I  have  before  said,  the  Concern 
was  so  deeply  in  debt,  though  it  was  not  gene- 
rally known  at  the  time,  that  it  was  in  danger 
of  sinking  under  its  own  weight,  as  it  indeed 
commenced  its  business  on  borrowed  capital. 
Those  who  now  manage  its  affairs  know  but  Httle 
of  the  difficulties  with  which  it  had  to  contend, 
particularly  from  1812  to  182 4,  during  all  which 
time  it  was  strugghng  for  its  existence,  though 
during  the  latter  part  of  the  time  it  was  adopting 
measures  which  its  managers  were  fully  confident 
would  ultimately  put  it  upon  a  permanent  foun- 
dation, which  indeed  proved  to  be  the  fact. 


THE  BOOK-CONCERN.  St 

What  is  its  present  state  ?  On  looking  over 
its  catalogue  of  books,  I  find,  if  I  have  counted 
accurately,  no  less  than  236  different  publica- 
tions, small  and  great,  among  which  are  Clarke's, 
Benson's,  Wesley's,  and  Watson's  Commenta- 
ries, Bibles  and  Testaments,  and  almost  every 
species  of  hterature,  on  theological,  historical, 
and  biographical  subjects,  as  well  as  experi- 
mental and  practical  piety.  To  furnish  one's 
self  with  a  copy  of  each  of  these  will  cost,  at 
the  retail  price,  between  $200  and  $300.  Now 
compare  this  with  the  publications  in  1813, 
when  there  were  only  23  several  books,  the  cost 
of  a  copy  of  each  of  which  was  only  about  |29, 
and  then  reflect  that  the  average  price  is  nearly 
one-half  less  now  than  then.  Are  here  no 
signs  of  improvement  ? 

In  addition  to  these,  look  at  the  list  of  Tracts, 
amounting  to  upwards  of  360,  of  from  4  to  60 
pages  each,  besides  a  Sunday-school  hbrary, 
and  books  for  Sunday-school  scholars.  There 
are  also  published,  including  the  North  and 
South,  two  Quarterly  Reviews,  one  monthly, 
seven  weekly  papers,  a  Sunday-School  Advo- 
cate, and  a  Missionary  Advocate;  and  as  to 
writers,  there  is  no  comparison  between  the 
present  and  former  periods  of  tlie  Church. 

But  has  it  increased  in  its  available  funds  ?   It 


52  PROOFS  OF  PROGRESS. 

has.  After  liquidating  all  its  debts,  purchasing 
lots,  erecting  buildings,  &c. ;  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  conferences  have  increased  from  seven  to 
twenty-eight,  excluding  the  Southern  portion, 
but,  including  that,  to  forty-one,  it  paid,  in  1848, 
$400  to  each,  making  an  aggregate  of  89,200 
for  the  twenty-eight  conferences,  or  of  816,400 
for  the  forty-one ;  whereas,  in  the  former  days, 
when  it  paid  8300  to  each  conference,  when 
there  were  but  seven,  the  whole  amount  was 
$2,100  ;  or  when  it  paid  only  8150,  as  it  some- 
times did,  it  amounted  to  no  more  than  81,050. 
Now  who  have  sustained  this  institution? 
The  answer  is.  The  Methodists  have  done  it.  I 
think  therefore  that  here  is  substantial  evidence 
of  improvement,  such  an  improvement  as  ought 
to  fill  our  hearts  with  gratitude  to  God,  and 
make  us  praise  him  for  all  his  benefits. 


DOCPRINE.  53 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Examination  of  doctrine— In  wliat  Methodism  consists— Its  pe- 
culiarities—Sanctification — Mr.  Wesley's  views  of  this  doc- 
trine—Tliis  doctrine  continues  to  be  preached— There  is  there- 
fore no  deterioration  here. 

We  have  hitherto  surveyed  the  Church  in  her 
external  features,  counted  her  numbers,  esti- 
mated the  value,  so  far  as  we  were  able,  of  her 
improvements  in  temporal  and  intellectual  ac- 
quirements ;  and  if  I  have  not,  actuated  by  too 
strong  a  bias  in  her  favour,  very  much  mistaken 
her  present  condition,  she  is  greatly  improved 
m  these  respects.  That  she  has  rapidly  in- 
creased in  numbers,  notwithstanding  the  diminu- 
tion in  1845, 1846,  and  1847,  is  unquestionable. 
But  this  of  itself,  I  allow,  is  no  proof  of  an  in- 
crease of  spiritual  strength,  nor,  consequently, 
of  real  piety ;  for  were  we  as  numerous  as  the 
sands  upon  the  sea-shore,  yet,  destitute  of  solid 
piety,  we  should  be  none  the  better,  nor  could 
we  furnish  any  substantial  evidence  that  God 
sanctions  our  labours.  Dismissing,  therefore, 
these  calculations,  let  us  inquire  whether  there 
be  any  evidence  of  a  deterioration  in  doctrine, 
or  in  experimental  and  practical  piety  ?  That 
we  may  judge  accurately  upon  this  subject,  it  is 
necessary  to  ascertain  what  those  doctrines  are 


64  DOCTRINES   OF  METHODISM, 

which  were  first  promulgated  by  Mr.  Wesley 
and  his  followers,  and  what  is  the  standard  or 
measure  of  experimental  and  practical  piety  by 
which  they  were  distinguished.  In  surveying 
these,  however,  we  need  not  dwell  upon  those 
which  are  common  among  all  orthodox  Chris- 
tians— such  as,  the  being  and  existence  of  God ; 
the  primeval  perfection  of  the  universe;  the 
original  purity  of  man,  his  fall,  and  consequent 
depravity  of  himself  and  of  his  ofiFspring ;  the 
Deity,  incarnation^  and  atonement  of  Christ; 
the  necessity  of  repentance  ;  justification  by 
grace  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead  ;  the  final  judgment,  and  its 
momentous  consequences.  These  great  cardi- 
nal truths  of  God  our  Saviour  are  common  to 
all  orthodox  Christians,  and  therefore  contain 
nothing  to  distinguish  ua  from  them,  or  to  dis- 
tinguish one  denomination  from  another.  Kor 
will  I  say,  as  a  wiiter  has  recently  said,  that 
**  Methodism  is  religion  without  philosophy,"  (see 
Appendix,  No.  1,)  lest  I  should  seem  to  in- 
sinuate, either  that  true  religion  and  philosophy 
cannot  coexist,  or  that  rehgion  was  always  poi- 
soned by  philosophy  until  Methodism  arose  to 
separate  the  foreign  and  poisonous  admixture 
therefrom,  and  thus  present  the  pure,  unadul- 
terated balm  to  the  woimded  souls  of  sinners ; 


PECL'LIAii.  55 

either  of  which  alternatives  would  be  unbe- 
coming a  sound  divine,  or  a  consistent  pliilo- 
soplier. 

By  Methodism  I  understand  those  peculia- 
rities of  the  system  by  which  it  is  distinguished 
from  all  other  is?ns  ;  hence  it  not  only  includes 
the  doctrines  above  enumerated,  by  which  it 
proves  its  orthodoxy,  but  it  brings  out  more 
prominently  than  is  done  by  other  denomina- 
tions, and  that,  as  it  believes,  on  the  authority 
of  God's  word,  that  of  Christian  perfection,  or 
the  entire  sanctification  of  the  whole  man  to 
God,  or  holiness  of  heart  and  life ;  and  that  this 
holiness  is  evinced  by  a  uniform  obedience  to 
the  commands  of  God.  It  holds  to  the  danger- 
ous possibiUty  of  apostatizing  from  the  grace  of 
hfe,  and  hence  urges  upon  all  its  disciples  the 
necessity,  that  they  may  inherit  eternal  happi- 
ness, of  persevering  in  every  good  word  and 
work  to  the  end  of  their  probationary  existence. 
And  that  these  doctrines  may  have  as  diffusive 
a  spread  as  possible,  it  has  adopted  an  itinerant 
ministry,  hereby  imitating  the  apostolic  exam- 
ple of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  "  every  creature" 
within  its  reach :  with  various  other  peculiar- 
ities, such  as  class-meetings,  love-feasts,  &c.,  for 
all  of  which  we  are  ready,  when  called  upon,  to 
give  a  Scriptural  reason.     And  I  know  not  but 


56  METHODIST  DOCTRINES. 

that  I  sliould  add,  the  doctrine  of  the  direct 
witness,  and  its  inseparable  results — the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit ;  as  these,  however  closely  they 
may  be  incorporated  in  their  Articles  of  Faith, 
and  alluded  to  in  their  formularies  of  devotion, 
are  not  insisted  upon  by  other  denominations,  as 
they  should  be,  in  their  public  instructions,  or 
in  the  inculcations  of  the  pulpit. 

When  Mr.  Wesley  first  set  out  in  his  Chris- 
tian career,  he  made  holiness  the  mark  at  which 
he  aimed,  though  he  did  not  then  clearly  com- 
prehend its  nature;  but  very  soon,  his  eyes 
being  enlightened,  he  saw  that  a  sinner  must  be 
justified  by  grace  through  faith  before  he  is 
sanctified.  He  accordingly  sought  and  found 
justification,  and  then  pursued  after  sanctifica- 
tion  or  holiness,  both  internal  and  external,  with 
all  his  might,  until  he  found  the  one  to  the  joy 
of  his  heart,  and  exemplified  the  other  by  the 
righteousness  of  his  life,  by  "  keeping  the  com- 
mandments of  God  "'to  the  end  of  his  protracted 
and  most  laborious  days.  And  never  did  the 
pen  of  Wesley  touch  upon  any  subject  which  it 
illuminated  more  clearly,  or  explained  more 
definitely,  explicitly,  Scripturally,  experimen- 
tally, and  practically,  than  it  did  the  doctrine 
of  Christian  perfection.  To  be  convinced  of 
this,  let  any  man,  who  has  a  tolerable  know- 


SANCTIFICATION.  67' 

ledge  of  the  subject,  or  sincerely  wishes  an  ac- 
curate knowledge  of  it,  read  attentively  his  ser- 
mons, "  On  Sin  in  Behevers,"  "  The  Repentance 
of  Behevers,"  '^  The  Great  Priviles^e  of  those 
that  are  Born  of  God,"  "  On  Christian  Perfec- 
tion," and  more  especially  his  "  Plain  Account 
of  Christian  Perfection,"  and  compare  them 
with  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  he  need  go  no 
further  for  light  and  information,  only  to  God 
in  earnest  prayer,  that  his  own  heart  may  be 
warmed  and  sanctified  by  this  hallowed  flame 
of  Divine  love. 

Indeed,  I  consider  his  "Plain  Account  of 
Christian  Perfection"  the  most  masterly  pro- 
duction upon  that  subject  which  ever  dropped 
from  an  uninspired  pen :  stating  its  nature  and 
extent ;  defining  it  with  nicety  and  precision ; 
and  pointing  out  the  way  to  attain  it ;  its  evi- 
dence and  fruits,  and  those  infirmities  with  which 
it  may  coexist ;  in  language  plain,  explicit,  and 
every  way  suited  to  the  capacity  of  every  reader. 
I  do  not  wish  to  undervalue  others  who  have 
written  upon  this  subject.  They  all  may  have 
their  use  in  attracting  attention  to  it,  in  inducing 
penitent  behevers  to  seek  after  it,  and  in  placing 
it  in  somewhat  new  aspects  before  the  reader's 
understanding ;  but  their  twinkling  light  disap- 
pears before  that  brighter  lummary,  as  the  stars 


68  METUODIST  DOCTRINES. 

bide  themselves  when  the  orb  of  day  mounts 
the  horizon. 

The  reader  will  pardon,  I  trust,  this  seeming 
digression  from  the  main  topic  on  which  I  am 
writing,  for  I  could  hardly  refrain  from  paying 
a  merited  tribute  to  au  author  who  has  shed 
such  a  flood  of  light  upon  a  subject  so  impor- 
tant, so  deeply  experimental  and  practical,  and 
so  intimately,  and  perhaps  I  might  say  indisso- 
lubly,  connected  with  the  present  peace  and 
futm-e  happiness  of  mankind.  "  Great  peace 
have  they  that  love  thy  law,  and  nothing  shall 
offend  them,"  or  be  an  occasion  of  their  stum- 
bling. "  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord."  **  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for 
they  shall  see  God."  These  texts  of  sacred 
Scripture  are  quoted  to  sustain  what  I  had  as- 
serted, namely,  that  the  subject  of  hohness  is 
intimately  connected  with  our  present  peace 
and  future  happiness.  The  first  pronounces  pre- 
sent peace  to  those  who  love,  and,  of  course, 
Jceep  the  law ;  the  second  and  third  show  what 
is  necessary  to  fit  us  to  see  the  face  of  God  in 
glory  everlasting,  namely,  holiness  or  purity  of 
heart. 

Now,  have  the  Methodist  preachers  ceased 
to  preach  this  doctrine,  and  to  urge  it  upon 
their  people  as  an  experimental  and  practical 


SANCTIFICATION.  69 

thing  ?  I  know  tliat  they  alwq^s,  from  the  be- 
ginning of  their  ministry,  held  it  prominently 
before  their  hearers,  not  only  as  a  pri\alege, 
but  as  a  duty,  to  be  "  holy  in  all  manner  of  con- 
versation." But  did  they  all  profess  to  enjoy 
it  ?  They  did  not :  nor  did  the  members  of  the 
Church.  Some  did,  both  among  preachers  and 
people  ;  but  I  believe  a  majority  did  not.  Many 
of  the  preachers  preached  it  more  as  a  theory, 
than  as  sometliing  which  they  knew  from  their 
own  experience ;  while  all,  who  were  rightly  in- 
structed, and  were  sincere  believers  in  its  attain- 
ableness,  professed  to  be  "groaning  after  it." 
This,  I  believe,  has  been  the  general  state  of 
the  Church  from  the  beginning,  though  there 
were  "  times  and  seasons,"  when  this  work  of 
holiness  was  more  prevalent  than  at  others.  I 
may  be  under  a  mistake,  but  I  have  thought, 
and  I  have  drawn  my  conclusion  from  reading,  and 
conversation,  and  attending  meetings  in  various 
places,  that  this  subject  has  very  considerably 
revived  within  six  or  seven  years  past ;  and  that 
a  more  than  usual  number  have  sought  and 
found  the  blessing  of  "  perfect  love."  I  know, 
indeed,  that  there  are  some  dhidc,  unscriptural, 
anti-Wesleyan  notions  prevalent  on  this  topic ; 
but  I  know  equally  well  that  there  are  many, 
and  I  believe   their  numbers   are   increasing, 


60  METHODIST  DOCTRINES. 

deeply  devoted  souls,  both  male  and  female, 
both  among  preachere  and  people,  who  give 
evidence  of  holiness  of  heart  by  the  holiness  of 
their  Hves. 

I  allow  that  this  great  and  mvaluable  bless- 
ing is  not  pressed  upon  the  people  so  generally 
and  so  earnestly  as  its  importance  demands ; 
but  this  is  not  peculiar  to  the  present  time. 
This  lack  in  the  ministry  and  the  membership 
was  always  a  defect  painfully  manifest.  To  be 
convinced  of  this,  read  the  works  of  Wesley, 
the  biographies  of  the  older  Methodists,  and 
consult  those  aged  professors  now  living  who 
can  remember  the  former  days,  and  I  believe 
they  will  all  corroborate  the  truth  of  my  state- 
ment. There  is,  therefore,  I  apprehend,  no 
falling  off  here,  no  abatement  of  zeal  in  the 
cause  of  holiness ;  but,  as  I  think,  at  least  in 
some  sections  of  the  Church,  an  increase  of  holy 
love,  and  a  more  urgent  inquiiy  waked  up  on 
this  very  subject. 

Let  us,  therefore,  give  God  the  glory  for  what 
he  is  still  doing  for  the  sons  of  men,  and  "  be 
strong  in  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  in  the  power 
of  his  miofht." 


OLD-FASHIONED   METHODISM.  61 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Old-fashioned  Methodism— In  what  it  consists— Distinction  be- 
tween its  vital  principles  and  circumstantial  parts— The  first 
never  change — The  second  may  or  may  not  be,  though  neces- 
sary to  its  growth — Divine  call  of  its  ministry — Tliis  essential 
— Circumstantials  contribute  much  to  its  success — In  these 
there  is  a  manifest  improvement. 

If  I  have  not  very  much  miscalculated  the  com- 
parative state  of  this  Church,  I  think  I  have  so 
far  succeeded  in  proving  that,  instead  of  de- 
generating from  its  primitive  purity,  it  has  much 
improved  in  its  general  character,  as  well  as  in 
its  means  and  capabilities  of  doing  good ;  and 
that  it  has  actually  put  forth  its  energies,  in 
various  ways,  to  advance  the  cause  of  Jesus 
Christ.  This  leads  me  to  notice  another  feature 
in  Methodism. 

Some  ignorant  enthusiasts,  whenever  anything 
new  is  introduced,  have  a  very  short,  but,  in 
their  estimation,  an  irresistible  argument  against 
it,  and  that  is,  "This  is  not  old-fashioned  Me- 
thodism." If  you  ask  these  persons  what  "  old- 
fashioned  Methodism"  is,  perhaps  they  are  at  a 
loss  for  an  answer.  Wliat  I  understand  by  Me- 
thodism, whether  old-fashioned  or  new-fashioned, 
is  this : — 

That  it  lays  hold  of,  and  holds  fast  to,  those 
cardinal  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  enumerated  in 


62  OLD-FASmOXED    METHODISM. 

the  preceding  chapter,  and  then  apphes  itself 
with  all  its  might  to  propagate  them  far  and 
near,  embracing  every  opening  of  Divine  Pro- 
vidence, and  taking  advantage  of  every  new 
development  in  the  administration  of  the  world, 
using  all  the  appliances  within  its  grasp,  to 
advance  the  cause  of  Christ. 

Understanding  it  in  this  sense,  we  must  dis- 
tinguish between  the  vital  principles  of  Method- 
ism, and  its  circumstantial  parts,  or  its  external 
features.  The  former  are  essential  to  its  exist- 
ence, because  they  are  vital, — the  latter  may  or 
may  not  be,  because  they  are  mere  circumstan- 
ces, though  for  the  time  being  they  may  be 
necessary  to  its  growth  and  expansion. 

To  explain  myself  more  particularly  upon  this 
head  : — By  the  vital  principles  of  Methodism,  I 
undei-stand  those  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  which 
embrace  the  Deity,  the  fall  of  man,  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  world  by  Jesus  Christ,  repentance, 
faith,  justification,  -and  sanctification,  and  all 
those  doctrines  by  which  we  are  distinguished 
from  other  denominations.  By  its  circumstan- 
tial parts,  those  prudential  regulations  and  ap- 
pliances for  doing  good  which  have  grown  out 
of  the  improvements  of  the  age,  the  progress  of 
society,  and  the  demands  wliich  these  things 
make  upon  us. 


ITS    VITAL    PRINCIPLES.  63 

These  vital  principles  must  never  be  changed, 
whatever  changes  may  take  place  in  human 
society.  No  new  developments  of  events,  no 
mutations  in  the  affairs  of  men,  nor  any  im- 
provements of  the  age,  must  be  allowed  to  make 
any  innovation  upon  the  cardinal  doctrines  of 
Christ,  all  of  which  Methodism  holds  fast.  If, 
for  instance,  we  were  to  relinquish  the  doctrine 
of  the  atonement,  as  generally  understood  by 
orthodox  Christians,  or  that  of  justification  by 
grace  through  faith,  sanctification,  the  possi- 
bility of  falling  from  grace,  the  witness  and 
fruits  of  the  Spirit ;  or  were  we  to  break  up  the 
itinerancy,  or  lay  aside  class-meetings,  or  cease 
to  hold  love-feasts,  we  should  no  longer  be  Me- 
thodists, because  these  doctrines  form  our  vital 
principles,  and  these  usages  form  those  pecu- 
liarities by  which  we  are  distinguished  from  all 
other  denominations,  and  in  the  use  of  which 
our  success,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  has  mainly 
resulted.  And  that  which  has  given  life  and 
energy  to  the  whole  system,  is  not  only  the 
fact  that  these  doctrines  have  been  held  and 
propagated,  but  that  they  have  been  held  and 
propagated  by  men  that  professed  to  have,  and 
indeed  actually  had,  an  experimental  knowledge 
of  them,  so  that  whenever  they  spoke,  they 
spoke  of  the  things  which  they  '^  had  felt  and 


64  OLD-FASHIONED    METHODISM. 

seen ;" — tliey  said,  and  their  lives  demonstrated 
that  they  said  the  truth,  that  those  truths  had 
been  sealed  upon  their  consciences  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Hence  they  spoke,  "  not  in  the  words 
of  man's  -wisdom,"  but  "  in  the  demonstration 
of  the  Spirit  and  power,"  ''with  much  assu- 
rance in  the  Holy  Ghost."  All  those  things  are 
so  essential  to  the  existence  and  vitality  of  Me- 
thodism, that,  were  any  of  them  to  be  laid  aside, 
or  used  as  mere  forms,  the  system  would  be 
marred.  Were  the  Methodist  ministry,  for  in- 
stance, to  cease  to  experience  the  life-giving 
principle  of  an  active  faith,  and  no  longer  insist 
upon  the  necessity  of  an  inward  call  to  their 
work  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  preach  under 
the  influence  of  that  Holy  Spirit,  urging  upon 
the  people  the  necessity  of  the  witness  and  fruits 
of  the  Spirit,  because  they  themselves  have  been 
made  partakers  of  these  things,  however  ortho- 
dox they  might  be  in  other  respects,  they  would 
cease  to  be  Methodist  preachers,  would  have 
sunk  into  mere  formalism,  having  the  "letter 
which  killeth,"  but  destitute  of  the  "Spirit 
which  giveth  hfe." 

I  wish  to  be  emphatic  upon  this  subject, 
more  especially  because  I  consider  it  one  of  the 
most  vital  principles  in  Methodism.  Whatever 
impi'ovements  we  may  make,  however  learned. 


ITS    VITAL   PRINCIPLES.  65 

refined,  and  ortliodox  in  our  general  creed,  deep 
and  profound  in  our  researches,  eloquent  and 
pathetic  in  our  addresses,  systematic  in  our  ser- 
mons, unless  the  whole  be  accompanied  by  the 
internal  energies  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  we  have 
such  an  experimental  knowledge  of  justification 
and  sanctification — or,  at  least,  so  far  a  know- 
ledge of  the  latter  as  to  be  earnestly  seeking 
after  it, — and  they  that  thus  seek  shall  soon 
find — we  shall  be  nothing  more  than  "  a  sound- 
ing brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal."  This  has  been 
the  boast — if  I  may  be  allowed  that  heretical 
expression — of  the  Methodist  ministry  from  the 
beginning.  It  was  this  holy  panoply  with  which 
Mr.  Wesley  was  armed.  And  it  has  been  the 
secret  of  the  astonishing  success  of  his  ministers 
in  the  awakening  and  conversion  of  sinners.  If, 
therefore,  they  ever  lay  it  aside,  as  a  part  of 
**  old-fashioned  Methodism,"  and  substitute  in 
its  place  the  tinsel  of  human  embellishments, — 
if  they  cease  "  living  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God," 
and  substitute  for  this  living  faith  the  chaff  of 
outward  forms  and  ceremonies, — if  they  substi- 
tute human  philosophy  for  the  **  pure  word  of 
God,"  and  theory  for  experience  and  practice, — 
if  they  so  far  lose  sight  of  their  high  and  holy 
calling  as  to  seek  their  own  fame,  ease,  or  self- 
aggrandizement,  instead  of  the  glory  of  God  in 
5 


G6  OLD-FASHIONED    METHODISM. 

the  salvation  of  souls, — if  tliey  substitute  wit 
and  sarcasm,  and  the  tinsel  of  human  oratory, 
for  the  "  words  of  truth  and  soberness," — if  they 
descend  to  personal  recriminations  resulting  from 
envy  and  jealousy,  instead  of  cultivating  the 
mutual  respect  and  good-will  which  flow  from 
brotherly  love, — then  shall  God  write  "Ichabod" 
upon  all  our  borders,  for  the  "  glory"  will  have 
"  departed  from  us,"  because  one  of  the  most 
vital  principles  of  Methodism  will  have  been 
abandoned. 

It  is  equally  necessary  that  the  whole  Church 
should  be  deeply  imbued  with  these  same  prin- 
ciples. This  is  what  I  understand  by  "  Old- 
fashioned  Methodism."  Nor  do  I  desire  to  see 
anything  substituted  in  its  place. 

Now  for  the  circumstantials  of  Methodism. 
Time  was  when  we  had  no  ordinances;  yet 
Methodism  existed  without  them,  only  so  far  as 
its  disciples  received  them  from  the  hands  of 
ministers  of  other  denominations.  They  were 
provided  at  the  organization  of  the  Church  in 
1784  ;  and  though  I  doubt  not  but  this  circum- 
stance has  been  greatly  beneficial  in  enabling  us 
to  diffuse  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  yet  facts 
prove  that  we  could  have  existed  without  them. 
Since  then  a  Book-Concern,  the  establishment 
of  academies  and  colleges,  the  Missionary  So- 


ITS    CIRCUMSTANTIAL   FEATURES.  67 

ciety,  Sunday-schools,  and  various  charitable  in- 
stitutions— besides  the  Bible  cause,  and  the  Co- 
lonization Society,  into  which  we  have  entered 
in  conjunction  with  other  denominations — have 
been  added  as  useful  adjuncts  to  the  main  cause. 
Now,  though  these  things  are  not  essential  to 
the  existence  of  Methodism,  they  are  great  helps 
in  developing  its  principles,  in  diffusing  its  spirit, 
and  in  extending  its  influence  far  .  and  wide, 
among  all  orders  and  ranks  of  men ;  and  although, 
if  they  were  laid  aside,  we  might  still  exist,  and 
perhaps  retain  our  vital  principles  ;  yet,  I  appre- 
hend, Methodism  would  be  greatly  circumscribed 
in  its  usefulness ;  as,  without  them,  we  certainly 
never  could  have  obtained  that  commandino-  in- 

o 

fluence,  and  taken  that  elevated  stand  which  we 
now  hold  in  the  community ;  and  hence,  were 
we  to  lop  off  these  flourishing  branches  from 
the  living  tree,  it  would  no  longer  afford  that 
broad  shelter  to  the  weary  sons  of  men  which 
it  now  does,  and  promises  yet  more  extensively 
to  do. 

These  are  the  branches,  living  and  flourishing, 
that  have  grown  from  the  main  stock ;  wliich, 
by  their  thrift,  show  that  the  vital  energies  of 
the  original  trunk  are  by  no  means  exhausted. 
So  long,  therefore,  as  this  Hving  tree  shall  re- 
main grounded  apd  rooted  in  the  rich  soil  in 


08  OLD-FASniONED    METHODISM. 

which  it  was  first  planted,  being  continually 
watered  with  the  "  dew  of  heaven,"  it  shall  con- 
tinue to  feed  and  nourish  these  living  branches ; 
and  likewise  be  sufficiently  vigorous  to  send  forth 
others,  which  the  progress  of  events,  and  the 
improvements  and  wants  of  the  age,  may  dictate 
to  be  necessary  or  expedient. 

By  "  old-fashioned  Methodism,"  then,  we 
are  to  understand  that  system  of  doctrine  and 
discipline  by  which  we  have  all  along  been  distin- 
guished ;  in  the  mean  time  adapting  itself  to  the 
state  of  society,  and  the  progress  of  events,  so 
as  to  take  advantage  of  every  new  opening  of 
divine  Providence,  which  may  call  for  the  inter- 
vention of  auxiliary  helps  and  fresh  appliances 
for  extendin<2f  the  Redeemer's  kinordom  amon<r 
men. 

Now,  has  not  Methodism  improved  in  this 
respect?  And  has  it  not  entered — and  that 
with  energy  and  success — into  every  open  door, 
by  adding  the  missio'nary,  educational,  and  other 
benevolent  institutions,  as  branches  to  the  ori- 
ginal stock  ?  And  has  it  not  shown,  and  does  it 
not  continue  to  show,  that,  deriving  all  its  power 
of  doing  good  from  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church  ;  and  receiving  from  that  supreme 
Fountain  of  life  unceasing  supplies  of  grace  and 
truth ;  it  sends  forth  to  every  limb  and  branch 


ITS   IMPROVEMENT.  69 

sap  and  nourishment,  to  feed  and  strengthen 
them,  so  that  their  **  leaves  are  always  green  ?" 
I  do  not  say  that  it  has  done  all  this  as  vigor- 
ously and  faithfully  as  it  ought  and  might  have 
done,  had  all  its  sons  and  daughters,  and  espe- 
cially its  ministers,  acted  up  to  their  high  and 
holy  calling  with  a  diligence  proportionate  to 
their  distinguished  privileges,  and  their  conse- 
quent high  responsibilities. 

But  while  a  retrospect  of  the  past  ought  to 
inspire  us  with  gratitude  to  God,  for  what  he 
has  done  by  our  feeble  instrumentality,  a  pros- 
pect of  the  future  should  stimulate  us  to  in- 
creased activity  in  the  important  cause  in  which 
we  are  engaged.  The  first  will  exclude  all 
needless  complaining  and  captious  fault-finding ; 
and  the  second  will  remove  all  distrust  in  the 
goodness  of  God,  and  all  gloomy  apprehensions, 
or  doubtful  forebodings,  of  what  is  yet  to  come ; 
while  a  knowledge  of  what  is  now  passing 
around  us,  will  fill  us  with  humble  adoration  of 
Him  who  is  the  "Author  of  every  good  and 
perfect  gift." 


70        MODIFICATIONS    OF   THE   ITIKERANCY. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Want  of  success  no  evidence  of  a  destitution  of  holiness,  or  of 
a  Divine  call — Defects  always  apparent — Modification  of  the 
itinerancy  beneficial — Proved  from  a  comparison  of  the  former 
and  present  state  of  the  old  Rhinebeck  district — Advantages 
of  stations  and  small  circuits. 

Though  I  believe  the  work  of  holiness  is  ad- 
vancing among  us  as  a  people,  I  doubt  not  but 
that  in  particular  places  there  is  a  declension, 
owing,  perhaps,  to  unfaithfulness  or  unskilful- 
ness  in  the  ministry,  or  to  other  causes  too  re- 
condite for  the  human  mind  to  fathom,  or  too 
mighty  for  man,  or  even  for  a  divine  Hand,  to 
control,  without  destroying  human  hberty. 
Let  it  be  remembered  that  a  minister's  holiness, 
or  fidelity,  or  skilfulness,  is  not  to  be  measured 
by  his  success.  In  one  place  it  is  said  that  even 
Jesus  Christ  could  "  do  no  mighty  works,  be- 
cause of  their  unbeUef."  And  if  unbehef  was 
so  potent  as  to  resist  the  power  of  omnipotence, 
when  wielded  by  the  God-man  himself,  are  we 
to  expect  that  it  will  always  yield  to  the  force 
of  truth,  though  this  truth  may  be  wielded  by 
the  hand  of  a  man  as  holy  as  Enoch,  or  Noah, 
or  St.  Paul,  or  any  other  holy  man  of  God? 
"  Paul  may  plant,  and  Apollos  water,  but  it  is 
God  that  giveth  the  increase."     Though  it  must 


DEFECTS    KEVEK   WANTING.  71 

be  admitted  that  God  does  not  call  and  send 
forth  an  ungodly  man  into  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  yet  many  a  godly  minister  has  been 
led  to  adopt  the  language  of  the  prophet,  "  I 
have  laboured  in  vain,  and  spent  my  strength 
for  naught." 

These  things  being  conceded  in  favour  of 
those  who  contend  that  Methodism  has  de- 
chned  in  some  places,  and  of  those  who  labour 
without  any  visible  effect,  I  would  ask.  In  what 
period  of  the  Church  have  not  these  sad  effects 
appeared?  Those  who  doubt  this  have  been 
very  inattentive  to  the  history  of  events.  I  can 
remember,  in  the  early  days  of  my  ministry, 
when  whole  societies  were  nearly  broken  up, 
and  scattered  abroad,  through  perhaps  the  mis- 
conduct of  a  preacher,  or  the  obstinacy  of  some 
of  the  members  ;  and  these  difficulties  were  al- 
ways occurring,  more  or  less,  in  particular  places, 
while  the  great  body  of  the  Church,  in  her 
collective  capacity,  remained  sound  and  healthy, 
and  accordingly  put  forth  her  energies  for  the 
promotion  of  the  cause  of  God.  Those  who 
look  for  such  a  perfection  in  the  Church  as 
shall  exclude  these  defects,  calculate  too  highly 
upon  human  nature,  and  do  not  make  sufficient 
allowance  fur  human  infirmities,  mixed  indeed 
with  the  remains  of  hereditary  depravity,  as  it 


72         MODIFICATIONS    OF   THE    ITINERANCY. 

is  found  in  every  Christian  not  yet  entirely 
sanctified  to  God. 

After  all,  it  is  contended  by  some,  as  an  evi- 
dence of  our  declension,  that  our  circuits  are 
shortened,  and  cut  up  into  stations,  and  that 
thus  the  labour  of  the  ministry  is  abridged,  and, 
of  course,  its  usefulness  curtailed.  The  fact  is 
allowed,  -while  the  consequence  is  denied.  On 
the  contrary,  I  contend  that  this  very  fact  is  an 
evidence  of  our  improvement.  I  hope  I  may 
not  be  accused  of  egotism,  by  relating  the  fol- 
lowing facts  from  my  own  experience  : — 

Under  the  joint  superintendency  of  Bishops 
Asbury  and  M'Kendree,  I  was  appointed,  in 
1813,  to  the  Rhinebeck  District,  which  then 
comprehended  what  are  now  Poughkeepsie, 
Rhinebeck,  !N"ew-Haven,  and  Hartford  districts, 
in  all  of  which  there  was  but  one  single  station, 
and  that  so  feeble  as  scarcely  to  show  signs  of 
life.  After  going  around  the  district  once  or 
twice,  I  said  to  the  preachers,  *'  You  might  as 
well  go  home  and  go  to  sleep,  as  to  preach  in 
the  manner  you  do,  so  far  as  building  up  Me- 
thodism is  concerned.  You  may  indeed  be  in- 
strumental in  the  awakening  and  conversion  of 
sinners ;  but  while  you  preach  once  in  two 
weeks  in  a  place  on  week-days  and  Sabbaths, 
and  are  absent  from  your  appointments  all  the 


ATTENDED    WITH   GOOD  EFFECTS.  73 

rest  of  your  time,  though  sinners  may  be 
awakened,  yet,  during  your  absence,  other  de- 
nominations, who  liave  their  stated  ministra- 
tions every  Sabbath,  and  whose  ministers  are 
constantly  among  the  people,  will  gather  the 
principal  part  of  them  into  their  churches,  and 
thus  you  lose  all  your  labour,  so  far  as  the  Me- 
thodist Episcopal  Church  is  concerned."  "  What 
shall  we  do  ?"  it  was  asked.  I  answered,  *'  We 
must  go  to  work  and  build  meeting-houses,  and 
have  a  preacher  stationed  in  every  city  and  con- 
siderable village  in  the  country,  in  order  to  es- 
tabhsh  Methodism."  In  this  they  generally 
acquiesced.  But  how  we  were  to  accomplish 
it,  was  the  grand  question.  We  had,  to  be 
sure,  small,  feeble  societies  scattered  through 
the  country,  some  of  them  more  numerous  than 
others,  but  none  of  them  were  able  to  support  a 
preacher,  and  but  few  to  build  a  church,  while 
many  of  these  societies  were  so  small  and  in- 
significant that  they  had  not  courage  to  lift  up 
their  heads  in  the  community.  And  this  was 
the  case  generally  in  these  northerly  regions, 
particularly  in  the  New-England  States. 

Well,  we  made  a  beginning,  as  well  as  we 
could.  Not  much  indeed  was  done  during  the 
four  years  that  I  remained  on  the  district.  I 
endeavoured,    however,    by    conversation    and 


74  MODIFICATIONS   OF  THE  ITINERANCY. 

preaching,  to  diffuse  the  spirit  which  I  felt  ought 
to  pervade  the  societies,  and  to  convince  all, 
both  preachers  and  people,  that  our  plan  o£ 
preaching  must  be  modified  in  the  manner  above 
specified.  A  foundation  was  thus  laid,  and  it 
has  been  gradually  built  upon  from  that  day  to 
this.  What  has  been  the  result  ?  In  that  re- 
gion of  country,  such  have  been  the  blessed 
effects  of  this  plan  and  these  labours,  that  in- 
stead of  one  district  we  now  have  four ;  instead 
of  twenty-five  preachers,  the  number  employed 
in  1817,  the  year  I  left  it,  we  have  one  hundred 
and  twenty-nine ;  and  instead  of  4,718  mem- 
bers of  the  Church,  the  number  returned  on  the 
Minutes  for  1817,  we  now  have  18,142;  and 
instead  of  being  compelled  to  preach  in  private 
houses,  school-houses,  and  barns,  as  we  were  in 
those  days — for  there  were  but  very  few  chiu-ches, 
and  those  so  small,  and  located  in  such  obscure 
places,  as  hardly  to  be  known,  and  many  of 
them  but  half  finished — we  have  now  commo- 
dious chm-ches  erected  and  neatly  finished  in 
every  city,  and  in  almost  every  village  and  con- 
siderable settlement  throughout  the  country. 
And  I  verily  beheve  that  if  we  had  gone  on  in 
our  old  method  of  four  and  six  weeks  chcuits, 
preaching  only  once  in  two  weeks  in  a  place, 
oiu-   labours   would   lla^■c    been   comparatively 


ATTENDED  WITH  ADVANTAGES.  75 

"in  vain,"  and  we,  of  course,  should  never  have 
seen  the  benign  results  above  recorded. 

I  presume  to  say  that  similar  results  have 
been  witnessed  all  over  the  country,  where 
similar  means  have  been  used.  The  fact  is,  a 
competent  preacher  stationed  in  one  place,  if  as 
diligent  as  he  ought  and  may  be,  will  soon  fa- 
miliarize himself  with  his  people ;  can  visit  the 
sick,  the  delinquents,  and  incite  them  forward 
in  the  discharge  of  duty ;  bury  the  dead,  per- 
form the  marriage  ceremony,  meet  the  classes, 
attend  prayer-meetings,  and  perform  all  other 
pastoral  duties,  and  then  have  time  enough  for 
study, — for  whenever  I  hear  a  minister  say  that 
he  has  no  time  for  study,  or  for  the  discharge 
of  any  other  indispensable  duty,  I  take  it  for 
granted  that  he  is  either  indolent,  or  knows  not 
how  to  economize  his  time. 

Now  these  are  the  advantages  arising  from 
changing  the  old  circuit  system  into  stations,  as 
the  above  statistical  facts  abundantly  demon- 
strate, and  to  the  truth  of  which  those  of  us 
who  can  remember  our  former  days  of  feeble- 
ness, and  compare  them  with  our  present  strength, 
can  bear  ample  testimony.  Indeed,  the  great 
revival  of  religion  and  consequent  increase  of 
membership  in  1843  and  1844,  have  occurred 
since  this  modification  of  the  itinerancy  had  been 


76  MODIFICATIONS  OF  THE  ITINERANCY. 

introduced,  and  afifords  another  proof  of  the 
practical  benefits  resulting  from  it.  Our  old 
plan  of  extending  over  so  large  a  surface — which, 
under  the  circumstances,  might  have  been  the 
best  for  the  time  being,  as  our  preachers  were 
few  in  number,  and  we  had  no  societies  only  as 
we  succeeded  in  forming  them — was  ill  calcu- 
lated to  build  up  churches  and  establish  con- 
gregations, whatever  might  have  been  its  effects 
in  arousing  the  slumbering  multitude  to  the 
concerns  of  eternity ;  but  as  the  population  in- 
creased, the  societies  and  their  numbers  multi- 
plied, additional  preachers  became  necessary, 
ministerial  labour  more  urgent,  and  the  calls 
for  pastoral  oversight  more  frequent  and  con- 
stant. 

The  present  system,  therefore,  of  a  more  con- 
tracted sphere  of  labour,  is  the  natural  result  of 
the  improved  state  of  society,  of  the  greater 
populousness  and  compactness  of  the  villages 
and  settlements.  As  to  the  larger  cities,  they 
were  always  considered  as  being  of  sufficient 
importance  to  demand  the  presence  of  stationed 
ministers.  We  might  therefore  as  well  wish 
that  our  thickly  settled  parts  of  the  country, 
and  our  populous  cities  and  villages,  should  re- 
vert to  their  former  wilderness  state,  with  only 
here  and  there  a  log  hut,  as  to  desire  that  our 


ENGLISH  AND  AMERICAN  METHODISM.        77 

present  short  circuits,  numerous  and  flourishing 
stations,  and  comparatively  contracted  districts, 
should  relapse  into  their  former  enlarged  condi- 
tion ;  for  the  one  would  no  more  militate  against 
the  advance  of  agricultural,  mechanical,  mer- 
cantile, and  professional  prosperity  and  the  bless- 
ings of  civilization,  than  the  other  would  be  in- 
jurious to  the  growth,  compactness,  and  conse- 
quently the  prosperity  of  the  Church  of  God. 

Allowing  the  views  above  expressed  to  be 
accurate,  as  I  fully  believe  they  are,  then  here 
is  another  evidence  of  improvement.  The  very 
fact,  therefore,  that  we  have  so  far  modified  our 
itinerant  system,  that  we  may  bestow  more  la- 
bour on  any  given  place,  instead  of  being  an 
evidence  of  deterioj-ation,  is  found  to  be  a  proof 
of  directly  the  reverse. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Comparison  between  American  and  English  Methodism— We 
greatly  outnumber  them — The  cause  of  this — Apology  for 
the  comparison — Respect  of  the  Author  for  his  Enghsh  bre- 
thren— The  objection  taken  from  them  has  no  foundation  in 
reality — In  finances  they  exceed  us — Our  deficiency  unneces- 
sary— A  remedy  proposed. 

Still  it  may  be  said  by  some,  that  our  method 
of  cutting  up  the  circuits  is  not  the  best,  inas- 
much as  our  English  brethren  do  not  do  the 


18         ENGLISH   AND  AMERICAN  METHODISM. 

like.     Their  example  is  often  quoted  to  prove 
the  inutility  of  the  measure. 

This  objection,  however,  allowing  its  truth, 
so  far  from  militating  against  the  modification  of 
the  itinerancy  for  which  I  contend,  is  an  argu- 
ment in  its  favour,  as  the  following  facts  will 
demonstrate.  Notwithstanding  Methodism  had 
been  in  operation  for  about  thirty  years  in  Great 
Britain  before  it  commenced  its  leavening  effects 
in  America,  it  does  not,  even  now,  number  half 
the  members  in  its  commimion  that  we  do.  The 
numbers  in  tiie  societies  in  the  Wesleyan  Me- 
thodist Connexion,  including  all  their  missions, 
and  those  in  the  Canada  Conference — the  latter 
of  Avhich,  by  the  by,  were  raised  up  principally 
through  oiu*  instrumentality^ — are  483,296,  and 
the  preachers,  1,903  ;  whereas,  we  enumerate, 
including  the  North  and  South,  1,114,509  mem- 
bers, and  5,243  travelling  preachers.  Look  at 
the  difference. 

Members.        T,  Pr. 

Number  in  tlie  United  States  and  Territo- 
ries, and  on  the  Missions    1,114,509    9,138 

Number  in  Great  Britain,  Ireland,  Canada, 

and  Missionary  Stations 49i,274    1,903 

620,230    3,340 

giving  more  than  double  the  number  of  both 
preachers  and  people  to  the  American  branch. 
Now  there  must  be  some  adequate  cause  for 


COMPARED.  YO 

this  great  disparity  in  the  success  of  the  minis- 
try in  these  two  departments  of  the  same 
Church.  It  cannot  be  in  the  density  of  the 
population,  for  they  are  not  only  more  nume- 
rous than  we  are,  but  they  are  confined  to  a 
surface  of  country  not  one-thirtieth  part  as  large 
as  that  over  which  our  population  extends  ;  so 
that  they  can  preach  to  a  given  number  of  peo- 
ple in  a  much  smaller  space  than  we  can,  and, 
of  course,  with  a  proportionally  less  degree  of 
physical  labour.  Neither  can  it  be  for  lack  of 
talent  in  the  British  ministry,  as  they  certainly 
embody  in  the  itinerancy  men  of  eminent  en- 
dowments and  acquirements,  fully  equal,  if,  in- 
deed, not  superior  to  any  that  we  possess.  It 
is  true  that,  with  all  these  superior  advantages, 
they  are  encumbered  with  an  enormous  Church 
establishment,  of  which  they  have  always,  very 
injudiciously,  in  my  judgment,  professed  them- 
selves to  be  members,  and  to  the  support  of 
which  those  of  them  who  are  land-holders 
have  to  contribute,  in  proportion  to  the  value 
of  their  estates,  in  addition  to  supporting  their 
own  institutions.  This,  no  doubt,  has  very  much 
impeded  their  career  of  usefulness,  and  pre- 
vented the  growth  of  their  own  societies,  how- 
ever much  it  may  have  contributed  to  advance 
the  cause  of  evangelical  piety  in  the  established 


80  ENGLISH  AND  AMERICAN  METHODISM. 

Church,  or  among  the  dissenting  denominations. 
We,  on  the  other  hand,  have  free  scope,  are 
trammelled  with  no  State  establishments,  but 
have  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  citizens  and 
Christians  guarantied  to  us  by  the  equitable 
Constitution  under  which  we  live ;  so  that  we 
can  walk  forth  unfettered  by  any  State  or  United 
States  laws,  or  exclusive  privilege  of  one  sect 
above  another,  husbanding  all  our  means,  tem- 
poral, intellectual,  and  spiritual,  for  our  own  ex- 
clusive benefit,  or  rather  for  the  benefit  of  man- 
kind. This  is  doubtless  a  great  advantage  over 
our  British  brethren,  and  one  which  we  derive 
from  our  civil  institutions,  more  than  from  any 
difference  in  church  organization,  or  any  other 
incidental  circumstance ;  and  for  which  we  are 
indebted  to  the  pro\'idence  of  God,  which  gave 
us  our  independence  as  a  nation. 

But  these  comparative  advantages  and  disad- 
vantages are  insujSicient  of  themselves  to  account 
for  the  diflerence  in  the  results  of  our  respective 
efforts.  The  chief  cause  of  this,  I  am  inclined 
to  believe,  is,  that  while  we  have  cherished  the 
spirit  of  revival,  they  have  suffered  it  to  lan- 
guish. This  belief  is  founded  not  only  upon 
the  fact  above  adduced,  of  the  great  disparity 
in  the  respective  numbers  in  communion  in  the 
two  branches  of  the  same  Church,  but  more  es- 


COMPARED.  81 

pecially  upon  the  observations  of  travellers  who 
have  visited  that  country,  and  whose  opportu- 
nities of  comparing  the  two  connexions  have 
been  favourable.  Among  others,  the  late  emi- 
nent Dr.  Fisk,  whose  memoiy  I  love  to  cherish, 
whose  piety  and  talents  adorned  the  Church  of 
which  he  was  a  member  and  a  minister,  men- 
tions an  instance  in  which  one  of  the  Wesleyan 
preachers  asked  him,  if  he  thought  our  revivals 
did  us  any  good.  To  this  the  Doctor  answered, 
with  some  amazement,  that  he  was  surprised  to 
hear  such  a  question  from  a  son  of  Wesley, 
whose  journals  recorded  so  many  instances  of 
the  work  of  God,  and  more  especially  as  the 
very  existence  of  Methodism  was  owing  to  a  re- 
vival of  pure  and  undefiled  religion.  This,  how- 
ever, may  have  been  an  isolated  case ;  and  though 
not  characteristic  of  the  whole  body,  yet  it  is  to 
be  feared  that  this  indifference  to  the  spirit  of 
powerful  revivals  of  religion  too  much  pen'ades 
the  body  of  Methodists  in  England.  They  may, 
indeed,  go  on  enlarging  their  mental  powers, 
and  systematizing  their  theology ;  but  unless 
they,  in  the  mean  time,  dive  proportionately 
deep  into  the  ocean  of  Divine  love,  and  drink 
large  draughts  from  that  perennial  fountain,  so 
that  they  can  pour  forth  its  refreshing  streams 
to  water  the  thirsting  souls  of  men,  they  will 
6 


82         ENGLISH  AND   AMERICAN   METHODISM. 

see  but  little  fruit  of  their  labours.  In  a  word, 
they  imist  strive  for  revivals,  if  they  would  avoid 
the  curse  of  formalism. 

But  comparisons  of  this  sort  are  always  in- 
vidious, and  more  especially  when  made  by  the 
more  favoured  party.  I  will  therefore  pursue 
them  no  further ;  and  offer,  as  an  apology  for 
introducing  them  at  all,  the  apparent  necessity 
of  meeting  and  obviating  the  objection  which 
has  been  so  often  made,  by  referring  to  our 
English  brethren,  as  an  example  for  us  to  fol- 
low, as  though  all  perfection  concentrated  in 
them,  while  so  many  imperfections  cling  to  us, 
that  they  operate  as  a  clog  to  stop  the  wheels 
of  our  itinerancy  ;  whereas,  with  all  their  per- 
fection and  all  oui*  imperfection,  we  have  far  out- 
stripped them  in  the  race,  and  in  winning  souls 
to  Christ.  And  certainly  no  man  who  under- 
stands the  subject,  and  is  acquainted  with  the 
writer,  will  attribute  these  remarks  to  any  want 
of  respect  for  our  British  brethren  ;  for  no  one, 
I  presume  to  say,  feels  a  more  profound  respect 
for  that  elder  branch  of  the  Wesley  family  than 
I  do,  or  more  highly  appreciates  the  many  ad- 
vantaores  we  have  derived  from  John  and  Charles 

o 

Wesley,  the  founders  of  Methodism,  and  from 
their  successors  in  the  ministry.  So  long  as 
pure  Christianity  shall  exist  in  our  world,  shall 


COMPARED.  83 

the  name  of  Wesley,  of  Fletcher,  of  Clarke,  of 
Benson,  of  Watson,  and  of  Moore,  be  venerated 
as  among  the  best,  the  most  holy,  and  the  most 
useful  and  highly  gifted  of  men ;  and  when  I 
shall  cease  to  remember  them  with  a  grateful 
recollection  of  their  many  excellences,  and  their 
highly  useful  services  in  the  Church,  may  "  my 
right  hand  forget  its  cunning,  and  my  tongue 
cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth."  But  this 
veneration  should  not,  as  it  does  not,  blind  me 
to  the  faults  which  I  think  I  perceive  have  crept 
in  among  them,  and  which,  if  not  timely  cor- 
rected, may  prove  alike  injurious  to  themselves 
and  to  the  world  at  large.  If  in  error,  I  pray 
God  and  my  brethren  to  forgive  me  ;  but  if  my 
views  are  correct,  a  timely  warning  will  do  them 
no  harm,  and  may  be  a  lasting  benefit  to  our- 
selves, in  guarding  us  against  a  like  defect. 

But,  after  all,  the  objection  I  am  considering 
has  little  foundation  in  truth ;  for  while  they 
link  several  stations  together,  and  thus  form  a 
circuit,  by  means  of  which  they  secure  an  inter- 
change of  ministerial  gifts  and  labours,  one  or 
the  other  is  always  on  the  spot  to  attend  to 
pastoral  duties,  while  one  only  is  absent  at  a 
time  in  the  remoter  parts  of  the  circuit.  And 
these  circuits,  what  are  they  ?  They  are  no- 
thing more  than  stations  in  close  proximity  to 


84  ENGLISH  AND   AMERICAN  METHODISM. 

each  other,  for  they  have  some  dozen  of  them 
in  the  city  of  London. 

I  grant  that  were  our  preachers  in  the  larger 
cities  more  frequently  to  interchange  pulpits,  it 
might  be  better  for  themselves  and  the  people  ; 
but  I  never  would  advise  a  relapse  into  the  for- 
mer mode,  not  even  in  the  country  places,  of 
extended  circuits ;  for  I  believe  it  would  be 
greatly  detrimental  to  the  work  of  God,  and  I 
have  seen  the  operation  and  effects  of  both 
modes,  and  much  prefer  the  latter,  for  the  rea- 
sons already  assigned. 

In  another  respect  I  allow  that  our  British 
brethren  are  far  in  advance  of  us  :  I  allude  to 
their  financial  affairs.  Following  the  example 
set  them  by  Wesley,  they  hold  themselves  un- 
der obligation  to  pay  every  claimant  his  and  her 
full  demand.  To  enable  them  to  do  this,  they 
have  adopted  a  system  of  finance  so  regular  and 
uniform  in  its  operation,  that  every  member  of 
their  communion,  the  poorest  not  excepted,  is 
expected  to  give  something,  at  least  a  penny  a 
week,  while  the  more  wealthy  average  sixpence 
a  week.  To  meet  extraordinary  cases,  arising 
from  sickness  or  unexpected  losses,  and  to  raise 
the  amounts  necessary  to  sustain  their  schools, 
theological  or  other,  they  make  special  collec- 
tions, and  have   hkewise  stated  subscriptions; 


COMPARED.  85 

and  whatever  amount  is  allowed  to  any  preacher, 
efficient,  supernumerary,  or  superannuated,  is 
fully  paid  him  ;  and  the  same  is  true  respecting 
widows  of  deceased  preachers,  and  their  orphan 
children.     This  is  as  it  ought  to  be. 

Instead  of  this  being  done  among  us,  we  per- 
mit our  superannuated  preachers,  our  widows 
and  orphan  children,  to  go  with  one-half,  one- 
third,  and  in  many  instances,  with  one-fourth,  of 
the  small  pittance  allowed  them  by  the  Disci- 
pline. This  is  a  burning  shame,  and  it  is  our 
own  fault.  We  have  adopted  the  absurd,  yea, 
I  might  say,  the  dishonest  principle,  and  have 
always  acted  on  it,  that  if  we  have  the  money 
in  hand,  we  will  pay  it,  and  if  not,  the  depend- 
ent claimants  must  go  without  their  just  de- 
mands ;  we  make  no  effectual  effort  to  make  up 
tbeir  deficiency ;  whereas  we  might,  with  the 
utmost  ease,  were  a  suitable  system  of  finance 
arranged,  and  if  every  one  concerned  would 
carry  it  into  practical  effect,  collect  and  pay  to 
every  claimant  his  and  her  entire  allowance. 
Let  this  allowance  be  considered  as  a  just  debt 
which  the  Church  owes  to  her  servants,  which 
she  is  bound  in  honour  and  conscience  to  pay ; 
and  then  let  a  systematical  plan, — such  a  plan 
as  shall  bear  equally  upon  all, — be  adopted  to 
raise  the  money ;  and  let  the  necessity  of  the 


86        ENGLISH    AND   AMERICAN  METHODISM. 

case  be  explained  to  and  enforced  upon  tlie  peo- 
ple, and  this  sickening  complaining  would  soon 
be  silenced  throughout  all  our  borders. 

But  though  these  defects  are  very  apparent, 
in  consequence  of  which  there  is  much  indivi- 
dual suffering,  yet  there  is  a  great  improvement 
even  in  this  respect.  There  is  not  half  the  de- 
ficiency now  as  formerly,  notwithstanding  the 
increased  allowance  to  the  preachers  and  their 
families.  It  was  not  until  1816  that  any  pro- 
vision was  made  for  fuel  and  table  expenses. 
Before  and  until  that  time  the  preacher  was 
allowed  only  880  a  year  and  his  travelling  ex- 
penses, and  his  wife,  if  he  had  one,  the  same ; 
$16  a  year  for  each  child  under  seven  years  of 
age,  and  824  for  aU  from  seven  to  fourteen ;  and 
even  that  small  pittance  was  seldom  paid ;  and 
scarcely  a  parsonage  fit  for  a  decent  family  to 
inhabit  was  found  in  all  our  borders,  except  per- 
haps in  some  of  our  larger  cities.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  loose,  manner  of  managing  the 
financial  concerns  of  the  Church,  the  poverty  of 
the  societies,  and  the  general  impression,  often 
made  by  the  injudiciousness  of  the  preachers 
themselves,  that  the  Gospel  was  to  be  preached 
literally  "  without  money  and  without  price,"  but 
few  of  our  early  preachers  received  enough  to 
clothe  them  comfortably,  and  they  were  gene- 


COMPARED.  Sir 

rally  treated  as  paupers,  dependent  upon  the 
cliarity  of  the  public. 

Thank  God,  this  state  of  things  is  somewhat 
altered  for  the  better ;  and  when  our  financial 
system  shall  be  perfected,  and  the  truth  deeply 
engraven  upon  the  hearts  of  all,  that  we  are  un- 
der a  religious  obligation  to  redeem  our  pledges, 
by  giving  to  every  claimant  the  full  amount  we 
have  solemnly  promised  to  him  and  her,  then 
will  Methodism  stand  erect,  and  challenge  its 
enemies  to  lay  aught  to  its  charge  on  the  score 
of  bad  faith  in  its  temporal  matters. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Defects  iu  the  Church— In  the  primitive  Church— Influence  of 
Methodism— Low  state  of  religion  at  the  time  Wesley  began 
his  ministry— This  fact  generally  acknowledged— His  qualifi- 
cations for  his  work— Revival  of  the  missionary  work,  the 
effect  of  Methodism— Proved  from  the  state  of  the  several 
missionary  societies— In  these  the  Methodists  took  the  lead— 
This  stated  as  an  historical  fact. 

I  THINK  I  have  succeeded  in  showing  that  there 
has  been  an  encouraging  improvement  in  almost 
every  respect  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
I  do  not  say  that  these  improvements  have  been 
as  deep  and  extensive  as  they  might,  and  there- 
fore should  have  been.  How  fiir  we  might 
have  been  in  advance  of  what  we  now  are,  had 


88  MISSIONARY  CAUSE. 

we  wisely  availed  ourselves  of  every  opening 
door  for  usefulness,  and  exerted  ourselves  with 
the  utmost  diligence  in  the  use  of  those  religious 
appliances  within  our  reach,  who  can  tell  ?  Had 
we  all,  preachers  and  people,  been  as  entirely 
devoted  to  God,  in  soul  and  body,  in  time  and 
substance,  as  we  should  have  been ;  had  we 
consecrated  unitedly  all  our  powers  to  God, 
seeking  and  obtaining  that  ''  perfect  love," 
which  we  all  profess  to  believe  attainable  in  this 
life,  by  which  we  should  have  been  impelled 
forward  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  but  that  we  should  have  ex- 
tended our  borders  far  more  extensively  than  we 
have  done.  But  this  is  a  state  of  perfection  in 
the  Church  hardly  to  be  expected  in  this  hfe, 
constituted  as  mankind  are,  not  only  encom- 
passed with  numerous  infirmities,  exposed  con- 
tinually to  temptations  from  without,  and  weak- 
nesses from  within,  a  hability  to  error  from  a 
variety  of  causes,  but  also,  imtil  we  are  wholly 
sanctified  to  God,  exhibiting  less  or  more  of  the 
infection  of  hereditary  depravity. 

Indeed,  such  a  perfection  never  yet  was  seen, 
not  even  in  the  primitive  Church.  Even  in  our 
Saviour's  time,  a  traitor  appeared  among  his 
twelve  apostles ;  and  in  the  apostolic  Church, 
after  the  day  of  Pentecost,  Ananias  and  Sap- 


THE   EARLY   CHURCH.  89 

pliira  were  struck  dead  for  lying  unto  the  Holy 
Ghost.  And  whoever  reads  over  with  attention 
the  Epistles,  more  particularly  those  of  St.  Paul 
to  the  Romans,  Corinthians,  and  Galatians,  will 
be  convinced  that  there  were  disorders  which 
needed  removal,  acts  of  immorality  which  called 
for  apostolic  rebuke,  as  well  as  errors  in  doc- 
trine and  practice  which  could  be  checked  and 
rectified  only  by  the  exercise  of  a  strict  disci- 
pline. It  is  true  the  Philippian  Church  seemed 
to  be  a  rare  example  of  purity,  and  hence  it 
called  forth  the  highest  eulogy  from  the  Apos- 
tle Paul,  causing  him  to  "  rejoice  exceedingly 
for  the  joy  of  their  faith,"  and  for  the  fidelity 
with  which  they  had  received  and  held  fast  the 
doctrines  and  precepts  of  Jesus  Christ.  With 
this  happy  exception,  all  had  subjected  them- 
selves to  rebuke ;  and  the  five  Churches  of 
Asia,  to  which  the  Revelator  directed  his  in- 
spired epistles,  had  all  something  to  correct, 
for  the  Lord  said  to  them,  "  I  have  somewhat 
against  you." 

These  remarks  have  been  made  for  the  pur- 
pose of  showing  that,  however  perfect  may  be 
our  doctrine  or  discipline,  it  can  scarcely  be  ex- 
pected, in  the  present  state  of  human  society, 
that  no  "  spot  or  wrinkle"  should  be  found  to 
disfigure  the  face  of  the  Church.     There  will, 


90  MISSIONARY  WORK. 

in  fact,  always  be  some  loiterers,  some  back- 
sliders, and  probably  many  formalists ;  and  if 
St.  Paul  could  say  in  his  day,  "  All  seek  their 
own,  and  not  the  Lord  Jesus,"  need  we  be  sur- 
prised to  find  upstarts,  both  in  the  ministry  and 
membership,  who  manifest  more  solicitude  for 
their  own  aggrandizement  than  they  do  for  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  souls  ?  But 
leaving  all  such  to  find  their  way  through  the 
world  as  they  best  may,  let  us  inquire  into  the 
influence  which  Methodism,  with  all  its  imper- 
fections, has  had  on  the  world,  and  more  espe- 
cially on  the  religious  world.  It  is  now  about 
one  hundred  and  ten  years  since  the  first  Me- 
thodist Society  was  formed  in  London,  under 
the  direction  of  that  eminent  seiwant  of  God, 
the  Rev.  John  Wesley.  What  was  the  general 
state  of  the  religious  world  at  that  time  ?  It 
will  be  admitted,  I  think,  on  all  sides,  that,  with 
but  few  exceptions,  the  Christian  Church,  so 
called,  whether  Papist  or  Protestant,  had  gene- 
rally sunk  away  into  lukewarmness,  while  many 
portions  of  it  had  abjured  the  pecuhar  doctrines 
of  the  Reformation,  substituting  in  their  place 
mere  forms  and  ceremonies,  or  a  rational  me- 
thod of  interpreting  the  Holy  Scriptures,  by 
which  they  were  deprived  of  all  their  energy, 
and  stripped  of  their  characteristic  excellence. 


JOHN  WESLEY.  91 

namely,  the  grand  promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
awaken,  to  regenerate,  and  sanctify  the  sinner. 
In  a  word,  the  greater  proportion  of  the  Chris- 
tian world  had  fallen  asleep,  as  it  respects  spirit- 
ual and  Divine  things,  so  much  so  that  Bishop 
Butler  observed,  "  That  it  seems  to  be  taken  for 
granted  that  Christianity  is  but  a  fable."  Hence 
the  shafts  of  infidelity  were  hurled  at  its  vitals, 
and  it  seemed  to  have  little  left  with  which  to 
defend  itself  but  to  resort  to  tradition,  to  exter- 
nal rites  and  ceremonies ;  and  these  were  mostly 
torn  to  pieces  by  the  "  cunning  craftiness"  of 
skeptical  men  who  knew  not  God.  In  this  sad 
condition  was  the  great  mass  of  Christendom 
when  John  Wesley  arose,  to  stem  the  torrent 
of  infidelity  and  iniquity  which  was  rolhng  over 
the  land,  and  threatening  to  sweep  oflf  the  httle 
remains  of  truth  and  righteousness  that  were 
still  found  upon  the  earth. 

I  shall  not  be  accused  of  partiality,  by  any 
competent  to  form  a  candid  judgment,  when  I 
say  that  no  man  could  have  been  better  fitted, 
from  erudition,  strength  of  intellect,  acuteness 
of  understanding,  deep  experimental  and  prac- 
tical piety,  for  the  task  of  reforming  mankind 
than  was  John  Wesley.  Nor  can  more  substan- 
tial evidence  be  adduced  of  the  general  corrup- 
tion of  morals  and  manners  which  then  pervaded 


92  MISSIONARY  TVORK. 

all  ranks  of  society,  than  the  opposition  with 
which  he  had  to  contend  at  the  commencement 
of  his  ministerial  career.  In  consequence  of  his 
preaching  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  ^ace, 
through  faith  in  the  atoning  merits  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  urging  the  necessity  of  sanctification, 
and  holiness  of  heart  and  life,  he  was  ejected 
from  the  pulpits  of  the  establishment,  branded 
as  a  heretic,  by  bishops,  priests,  and  deacons ; 
hooted  at  by  the  ignorant  rabble  as  a  disturber 
of  the  peace,  and  persecuted  in  a  variety  of 
ways,  by  dissenters  as  well  as  by  members  of 
the  established  Church,  all  agreeing  to  load 
him  with  contumely  and  reproach  as  a  "  pesti- 
lent fellow."  None  of  these  outbreaks  of  de- 
praved hearts  did  for  a  moment  move  him  from 
his  purpose,  nor  produce  any  other  emotion 
than  the  tenderest  pity  for  those  who  spake  all 
manner  of  evil  of  him. 

See  the  effect  which  has  been  produced. 
Not  only  has  this  .outward  opposition  ceased, 
but  almost  the  entire  evangehcal  world  has 
adopted,  or  at  least  revived,  in  a  greater  or  less 
degree,  his  sentiments,  and  the  different  branches 
of  the  Church  are  moving  heaven  and  earth  to 
caiTy  them  into  effect.  Let  us  see  if  this  be  not 
the  case. 

The  grand  missionary  cause  has  received  an 


EARLY  MISSIONS.  03 

impetus,  since  Wesley  began  his  energetic  minis- 
try, to  which  it  had  been  a  stranger  from  the 
days  of  the  apostles  until  that  time.  It  is  true 
that  some  missions  had  been  undertaken  by 
various  Protestant  denominations  at  different 
times,  and  in  different  places,  but  they  had  been 
productive  of  but  little  practical  result,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Moravian  missions  in  the 
West  Indies,  and  among  some  of  the  North 
American  Indians,  and  the  labours  of  Elliot  and 
others,  whose  laudable  efforts  were  directed  to 
the  conversion  of  the  Indians  in  their  more  im- 
mediate vicinity ;  but  even  these  latter  missions 
produced  no  lasting  benefit,  as  scarcely  any 
trace  of  true  Christianity  was  found  among  the 
natives  of  our  forests  at  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century  ;  and  as  to  the  former,  they  had, 
and  have  still,  but  a  limited  influence  ;  though 
we  should  not  forget  that  John  Wesley  himself 
was  indebted  to  a  Moravian  missionary  for  the 
light  he  received  on  the  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith,  and  the  witness  and  fruits  of  the  Spirit. 
But  since  Mr.  Wesley  commenced  his  evan- 
gelical labours,  setting  such  an  example  as  he 
did,  by  his  astonishing  efforts  to  diffuse  the 
blessings  of  a  living  Christianity  among  man- 
kind, travelling  from  one  end  of  the  kingdom 
of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  to  another,  pro- 


94  MISSIONARY  WORK. 

claiming  with  a  loud  and  distinct  voice,  to  all 
classes  of  men,  that  they  must  "  fear  God,  and 
give  glory  to  his  name,"  missionary  societies 
have  sprung  into  existence  in  almost  every  di- 
rection, among  all  denominations  of  Christians, 
and  their  missionaries  have  been  sent  to  the 
four  quarters  of  the  globe,  "  preaching  Jesus 
and  the  resurrection."  A  glance  at  the  date 
of  the  several  missionary  societies  will  verify  the 
fact  above  stated,  that  the  most  of  these  have 
been  commenced  since  Wesleyan  Methodism  be- 
gan its  leavening  influence  upon  the  community. 
With  the  exception  of  the  Moravian  missions, 
before  alluded  to,  and  one  established  in  Lap- 
land, by  the  king  of  Sweden,  in  1559,  and  those 
among  the  American  Indians,  by  Elliot  and 
others,  in  1646,  and  another  on  the  coast  of 
Coromandel,  in  the  East  Indies,  in  1705,  and 
one  more  in  Greenland,  in  1721,  there  was  no 
Protestant  mission  in  existence  until  1786,  when 
Dr.  Coke  was  compelled,  by  adverse  winds,  to 
change  his  course  towards  Nova  Scotia,  to  which 
he  had  intended  to  go,  and  land  himself,  and 
the  missionaries  who  accompanied  him,  in  the 
island  of  Antigua,  where  he  established  a  mis- 
sion. 

In  1793,  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  was 
organized,  and  sent  missionaries  to  Bengal.     In 


REVIVED    BY   METHODISM.  95 

1*796  the  London  Missionary  Society  commenced 
its  operations  by  sending  missionaries  to  the 
South-Sea  Islands.  In  1799  Dr.  Coke  opened 
a  mission  to  the  native  Irish.  In  1800,  the 
New- York  (Baptist)  Missionary  Society  com- 
menced a  mission  among  the  Tuscarora  Indians. 
In  1808,  the  Edinburgh  Missionary  Society 
sent  missionaries  to  explore  the  country  between 
the  Caspian  and  Black  Seas.  In  1803,  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
established  a  mission  among  the  Cherokee  In- 
dians. In  1809,  Dr.  Coke  began  a  mission  for 
the  benefit  of  the  French  prisoners  on  the  Eng- 
lish coast.  In  1810,  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  was  organ- 
ized in  the  city  of  Boston.  In  1813,  Dr.  Coke, 
in  company  with  seven  missionaries,  embarked 
for  the  East  Indies.  In  1814,  the  Wesleyan 
Methodist  Missionary  Society  was  formed.  In 
1819,  the  Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  was  formed.  In  1816,  the 
New- York  Protestant  Episcopal  Missionary  So- 
ciety was  organized ;  and  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Missionary  Society  for  the  United  States 
was  established  in  1823.  In  1826,  the  Ameri- 
can Home  Missionary  Society  was  organized. 

From  these  facts  it  will  be  perceived  that  all 
these  societies  were  organized  after,  and  some 


,9^  MISSIONARY    WORK. 

of  them  long  after,  Methodism  had  been  work- 
ing in  the  hearts,  and  exemphfying  its  principles 
in  the  lives  of  mankind,  and  that  Dr.  Coke,  a 
disciple  of  Wesley,  took  the  lead  in  this  God- 
like enterprise,  by  establishing  a  mission  for  the 
salvation  of  the  slave  population  of  Antigua. 
It  is,  therefore,  as  evident  as  the  shining  of  the 
sun  at  noonday,  that  Wesleyan  Methodism  has 
exerted  an  influence  of  a  highly  beneficial  cha- 
racter upon  other  denominations,  in,  first,  excit- 
ing a  spirit  of  experimental  piety,  and,  secondly, 
in  leading  them  forth  in  the  grand  work  of  con- 
verting the  world  to  Christianity,  by  means  of 
missionaiy  labours. 

This  is  not  said  by  way  of  vain  boasting. 
"  God  forbid  that  we  should  glory  save  in  the 
cross  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  It  is  recorded 
as  an  historical  fact,  now  very  generally  acknow- 
ledged by  all  impartial,  candid  Christians,  and 
hence  it  would  be  false  modesty  to  attempt  its 
concealment.  That  other  denominations  have 
felt  more  or  less  the  genial  influence  of  Method- 
ism, and  have  thereby  been  re^^ved  in  evan- 
gelical principles  and  experience,  is  a  fact  which 
I  delight  to  record,  not  merely  because  I  be- 
long to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  but 
chiefly  because  it  demonstrates  a  diftusive  spread 
of  evangehcal  light  and  love,  and  is  an  encourag- 


REVIVED    BY    METHODISM.  97 

ing  omen  of  the  near  approach  of  that  day  when 
all  nations  shall  acknowledge  Jesus  Christ  as 
the  King  of  saints,  and  the  "  knowledge  of  the 
Lord  shall  cover  the  earth,  as  the  waters  do  the 
great  deep."  And  I  would  say  of  them  all, 
**  Would  to  God  they  were  all  prophets,"  that 
is,  that  they  were  all  "  holy  in  all  manner  of 
conversation  and  godliness  ;"  for  those  who  are 
so  will  labour  together  for  the  faith  of  ihe.  gospel, 
for  the  furtherance  of  the  cause  of  Christ,  irre- 
spective of  sects  and  parties,  knowing  that  in 
this  holy  family  there  is  but  "one  Lord,  one 
faith,  and  one  baptism." 

By  what  means  Methodism  has  produced  this 
salutary  effect,  will  be  more  fully  stated  here- 
after, should  God  permit  me  to  pursue  my  train 
of  thoughts  to  its  close.  In  the  mean  time, 
allow  me  here  to  remark,  to  prevent  misunder- 
standing upon  this  subject,  that  it  was  not  by 
the  invention  of  any  new  doctrine  that  Wesley 
effected  the  reformation  which  accompanied  his 
and  the  labours  of  his  coadjutors  and  successors 
in  the  ministry,  but  it  was  by  reviving  and  bring- 
ing out  prominently,  explicitly,  and  definitely, 
before  the  people,  truths  which  lay  hidden  in 
their  articles  of  faith,  and  were  found  scattered 
in  their  formularies  of  devotion,  and  so  present- 
in  o-  them  to  the  understandings,  and  pressing 
7 


98  MISSIONARY    WORK, 

their  solemn  weight  upon  the  consciences  of  all 
who  were  within  the  sound  of  his  and  their 
voice,  that  their  high  importance  miglit  be  duly 
appreciated,  and  their  experimental  and  practi- 
cal bearing  felt  in  the  heart,  and  exemplified  in 
the  life.  These  great  truths  of  God  had  long 
been  laid  aside  by  the  generality  of  Christians, 
and  so  entirely  forgotten,  that  but  few  seemed 
aware  that  they  had  ever  been  taught.  These 
truths  Wesley  resuscitated,  dragged  them  from 
the  tomb,  clothed  them  in  a  new  garb,  and  pre- 
sented them  to  the  people  in  so  living  and  lovely 
a  fonn,  that  while  the  wicked  at  first  hated  and 
persecuted  them,  and  him  that  proclaimed  them, 
those  who  became  "wise  in  heart"  discerned 
their  beauty,  appreciated  their  excellence,  be- 
lieved and  embraced  them  with  their  whole 
hearts,  and  thus  became,  in  their  turn,  witnesses 
of  their  saving  power.  In  this  way  the  work 
spread,  and  in  this  way  it  is  still  spreading,  and 
I  most  ardently  pray  that  it  may  continue  to 
spread,  until  "  all  shall  know  the  Lord,  from  the 
least  to  the  greatest." 


THE    TRACT    CAUSE.  99 


CHAPTER   XII. 

Tract  cause — Mr.  Wesley  took  the  lead  in  this — Reformed  the 
literature  of  the  age — His  object  in  writing,  to  do  good — Title 
of  some  of  his  tracts — Distributed  one  at  the  church  door  in 
London — Commences  his  printing  establishment — His  example 
followed  by  others — Hannah  More — Tract  societies  organized 
in  England  and  the  United  States— An  example  of  the  good 
effects  of  a  tract. 

It  is  not  alone  in  the  missionary  department 
that  the  influence  of  Methodism  has  been  felt. 
In  the  various  benevolent  institutions  of  the 
day,  which  are  now  blessing  mankind  with  their 
hallowing  effects,  the  Methodists  have  not  only 
taken  a  prominent  part,  but  in  many  of  them 
they  have  taken  the  lead.  The  first  of  these 
which  I  shall  mention  is  the  Tract  cause, 
chiefly  because  it  is  well  calculated  to  scatter 
religious  knowledge  in  the  cheapest  and  most 
expeditious  form,  among  the  great  mass  of  the 
community. 

Mr.  Wesley  was  the  first  in  modern  times  to 
avail  himself  of  this  method  of  diff'using  reli- 
gious truth,  and  that  too  in  the  most  pointed 
manner;  aiming  his  rebukes  and  instructions 
directly  to  the  conscience  of  the  sinner,  by 
means  of  short,  pithy  tracts.  I  say  the  first 
among   modern   writers  ;     for   though    Wiclif 


100  THE    TRACT    CAUSE. 

published  and  circulated  small  tracts  for  the  in- 
struction of  the  common  people,  and  Luther 
issued  his  German  translation  of  the  Bible  in 
small  fragments  at  a  time,  and  hkewise  sent  out 
some  doctiinal  theses  in  short  pieces  by  them- 
selves, they  had  long  ceased  to  circulate :  and 
most  of  the  book-knowledge  -was  either  locked 
up  in  the  cabinets  of  princes,  or  confined  in 
private  or  public  libraries,  and  found  chiefly  in 
large  tomes  too  bulky  for  an  ordinary  man  to 
read,  and  much  of  even  this  was  hidden  from 
the  common  people  in  the  learned  languages. 
This  was  the  general  state  of  the  literature  of 
the  world  when  Wesley  commenced  the  publi- 
cation of  small  books,  written  in  the  plainest 
possible  style,  compressing  much  matter  into 
few  words;  abridging  large  fohos  by  leaving 
out  all  superfluous  words,  and  erroneous  or  un- 
profitable matter,  as  well  as  composing  sermons 
and  small  tracts  of  his  own,  so  as  to  bring  them 
within  the  reach  of  the  greatest  number  of 
people.  In  this  way  he  became  not  only  a  re- 
former of  the  hearts  and  lives  of  the  people,  but 
also  of  the  Hterature  of  the  age,  and  introduced 
a  method  of  circulating  small  tracts  upon  a 
variety  of  religious  and  literary  subjects  before 
unknown  to  the  community.  Hear  his  reason 
for  this.     Under  date  of  March  17,  1769,  after 


STARTED    BY  JOHN    WESLEY.  101 

giving  an  account  of  an  abridgment  he  had  been 
making  of  Dr.  Watts'  pretty  Treatise  on  the 
Passions,  he  says,  **  Why  do  persons  who  treat 
the  same  subjects  with  me,  write  so  much  larger 
books  ?  Of  many  reasons,  is  not  this  the  chief — 
We  do  not  write  with  the  same  view !  Then' 
principal  end  is  to  get  money :  my  only  one  to 
do  good."  This  indeed  was  the  only  object  of 
not  only  his  writing,  but  of  all  he  did ;  for  not- 
withstanding he  had  the  fairest  opportunity 
imaginable  of  accumulating  riches,  he  died  not 
worth  £10  sterling,  independent  of  his  books, 
after  his  debts  were  paid ;  not  one  five-hun- 
dredth part  of  what  Southey  is  said  to  have 
made  for  writing  the  Life  of  Wesley,  in  which 
he  branded  that  holy  man  of  God  with  the  base 
motive  of  unholy  ambition  in  all  his  movements, 
and  in  the  compilation  of  which  he  proved  his 
utter  incompetency  to  estimate  the  worth  of  the 
character,  to  understand  the  principles,  or  to 
appreciate  the  motives  of  the  man  of  whom  he 
wrote. 

But  I  was  about  proving  that  Wesley  was 
the  first  in  modern  times  to  write  small  tracts, 
and  circulate  them  gratuitously  among  the  peo- 
ple. His  tracts  entitled,  **  A  Word  to  a  Sab- 
bath-Breaker," "A  Word  to  a  Swearer,"  "A 
Word  to  a  Drunkard/'  *'A  Word  to  an  Un- 


102  TRACT    CAUSE. 

happy  Woman,"  '^A  Word  to  a  Smuggler," 
with  others  of  a  hke  character,  admirably  suited 
to  the  times,  were  written  about  the  year  IT 6 7, 
nearly  sixty  years  before  any  tract  society  was 
organized  in  the  United  States.  And  whoever 
will  take  the  trouble  of  reading  those  tracts — 
and  they  may  be  seen  in  the  seventh  volume  of 
his  works,  pp.  355-377 — will  be  convinced  that 
more  pointed.  Scriptural,  experimental,  and 
practical  tracts  cannot  be  found  in  the  English 
language  ;  all  expressed  in  language  plain,  pithy, 
and  home  to  the  point,  and  admirably  calculated 
to  awaken  the  sinner's  conscience,  and  to  lead 
him  to  repentance  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.- 
Amonsj  othei-s,  there  is  one  entitled,  "  A  Word 
to  a  Protestant,"  which  I  would  take  the  liberty 
of  recommending  to  those  who  are  blustering 
about  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  they  will  learn 
how  to  treat  them  so  as  to  convert  them  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  tmth,  instead  of  spending 
their  time  and  strength  in  denoimcing  the  curse 
of  God  upon  them  indiscriminately.  "  The 
wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of 
God." 

I  said  above,,  that  the  tracts  mentioned  were 
written  about  the  year  1767,  though  most  of 
them  are  without  date  ;  but  it  appears  from  his 
Journal  that  he  commenced  this  work  at  a  much 


JOHN    WESLEY.  103 

earlier  time  ;  for  I  find,  under  date  of  Wednes- 
day, December  18,  1745,  twenty-two  years 
anterior  to  the  time  above  mentioned,  the  fol- 
lowing entry : — 

"  We  had,  within  a  short  time,  given  away  some  thou- 
sands of  little  tracts  among  the  common  people.  And 
it  pleased  God  hereby  to  provoke  others  to  jealousy. 
Insomuch  that  the  lord  mayor  had  ordered  a  large  num- 
ber of  papers,  dissuading  from  cursing  and  swearing,  to 
be  printed  and  distributed  to  the  trainbands.  And  this 
day  '  An  Earnest  Exhortation  to  Serious  Repentance ' 
was  given  at  every  church  door,  in  or  near  London,  to 
every  person  that  came  out ;  and  one  left  at  the  house 
of  every  householder  who  was  absent  from  church.  I 
doubt  not  but  God  gave  a  blessing  therewith. —  Works, 
vol.  iii,  p.  361. 

Mr.  Wesley,  perceiving  the  immense  benefit 
resulting  from  scattering  among  the  people  re- 
ligious tracts,  and  other  books  on  a  variety  of 
subjects,  in  the  cheapest  possible  form,  was  led 
to  establish  a  printing-press  of  his  own,  that  he 
might  control  it  in  the  manner  he  saw  best. 
Here  his  books  were  printed  under  his  own  di- 
rection, freed  from  those  restraints  and  inter- 
ruptions with  which  he  had  often  been  per- 
plexed by  the  carelessness  of  those  who  had 
heretofore  printed  his  works.  And  what  a 
mighty  revolution  has  this  example  effected  in 
the  religious  world !     Not  only  have  the  Wes- 


104  TRACT    CAUSE. 

leyan  Methodists  in  England,  and  the  American 
Methodists,  book  estabhshments,  but  the  Pres- 
byterians, the  Protestant  Episcopahans,  and  the 
American  Tract  Society,  have  publication  offices, 
at  which  are  printed  a  vast  variety  of  tracts, 
Sunday-school  books,  and  other  publications ; 
each  denomination  selectins:  and  issuing  such  as 
may  please  it  best,  or  which  it  may  judge  most 
suitable  to  answer  its  object. 

In  tliis  good  work  also,  as  well  as  in  the  pre- 
paration of  small  tracts,  Wesleyan  Methodism 
took  the  lead,  setting  an  example  for  using  this 
mighty  lever,  the  printing-press,  for  diffusing 
religious  knowledge  throughout  the  world. 

But  to  pursue  the  history  of  the  tract  cause. 
We  have  already  seen  that  Mr.  Wesley  began 
in  this  work  as  early  as  1745;  and  the  next 
author  of  any  emmence  who  adopted  this  method 
of  instructing  the  ignorant  and  reforming  the 
vicious,  was  the  pious  and  celebrated  Hannah 
More.  Seeing  the  progress  of  infidelity  among 
the  lower  class  of  society,  her  spirit  was  stirred 
within  her  to  adopt  some  suitable  means  to 
check  its  pernicious  influence.  Hence  she  was 
led  to  write  small  tracts,  and  put  them  in  circu- 
lation for  the  special  benefit  of  those  whose  time 
and  means  would  not  allow  them  to  purchase 
and  read  lai-ger  works.     These,  and  other  ex- 


RESULTS.  105 

amples,  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  Religious 
Tract  Society  in  England,  and  various  Tract  So- 
cieties in  the  United  States,  and  finally  the 
American  Tract  Society  in  the  city  of  New- 
York,  in  1825,  just  eighty  years  after  Mr.  Wes- 
ley gives  an  account  of  distributing  the  tract 
entitled  "An  Earnest  Exhortation  to  Repent- 
ance," at  the  doors  of  the  churches  in  London. 
Long  before  this  or  any  other  similar  society  was 
formed,  Bishop  Asbury  was  in  the  habit  of 
distributing  small  tracts,  some  of  which  he  got 
printed  at  his  own  expense,  among  the  people 
he  visited,  as  well  as  circulating  Bibles  and  Tes- 
taments for  years  anterior  to  the  organization  of 
the  American  Bible  Society.  Other  benevolent 
individuals,  of  various  denominations,  did  the 
same. 

While  employed  as  a  missionary  on  the  River 
Thames,  in  Upper  Canada,  to  which  place  I  had 
volunteered  my  services  in  1804,  not  having 
any  printed  tracts,  I  wrote  several  very  short 
ones,  in  as  plain  a  hand  as  I  could,  entitled, 
"  A  Word  to  the  Swearer,"  "  A  Word  to  the 
Drunkard,"  &c.,  that  I  might,  as  I  was  fre- 
quently under  the  necessity  of  lodging  in  taverns, 
surrounded  with  such  characters,  slip  them  into 
their  pockets,  that  they  might  perchance  after- 
wards find  and  read  them. 


106'  TRACT   CAUSE. 

One  instance  I  remember  perfectly  well  hap- 
pened at  a  tavern,  where  was  a  large  company 
of  Scotch  immigrants,  who  were  returning  from 
a  settlement  which  had  been  formed  by  Lord 
Selkirk,  which  proved  so  imhealthy  that  many 
of  them  had  died,  and  the  remainder,  the  present 
company,  were  fleeing  for  safety.  They  were 
verj'  noisy,  some  half  dnmk ;  and  one  of  their 
number  accosted  me,  supposing  I  was  a  clergy- 
man, in  a  very  incoherent  manner,  on  the  subject 
of  religion.  I  put  into  his  pocket,  as  secretly 
as  I  could,  one  of  my  written  tracts,  "  A  Word 
to  the  Drunkard."  Some  one,  however,  saw 
me  do  it,  and  informed  the  other  of  what  I  had 
done.  He  read  it,  and  then  another  read  it, 
and  then  another,  and  so  it  passed  around. 
They  all  became  silent,  and  apparently  solemn. 
I  then  arose  and  gave  them  an  exhortation,  read 
them  a  chapter  from  my  pocket-Bible,  and 
prayed  with  them.  We  had  no  more  noise  nor 
drinking;  and  I  parted  with  them  the  next 
morning  with  their  good-will,  and  many  good 
wishes.  How  thankful  should  I  have  been, 
could  I  have  furnished  myself  with  a  few  short 
printed  tracts,  such  as  those  written  by  Mr. 
W^esley,  before  described  !  But  those  were 
days  of  small  things  in  comparison  of  these  in 
which  we  hve  ;  days  in  which  tens  of  thousands 


METHODISM.  107 

of  these  little  silent  mentors  are  sent  out  in  every 
direction,  "  flying,"  like  the  angel  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse, "  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the 
everlasting  Gospel  to  preach  to  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth,"  and  proclaiming  it  in  almost  every 
tongue  under  heaven. 

Such  is  the  influence  of  Methodism  on  the 
method  of  writing  and  printing  tracts,  and  other 
good  books.  I  rejoice  exceedingly  that  others 
have  taken  knowledge  of  us,  or  rather  of  John 
Wesley,  in  this  respect,  and  are  combining  their 
influence  in  bringing  the  press  to  bear,  with  all 
its  ponderous  weight,  upon  the  spiritual  and 
eternal  interests  of  men.  May  they  not  cease 
to  apply  themselves  to  this  work,  until  *'  the 
ends  of  the  earth  shall  see  the  salvation  of 
God." 


108  SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Sunday-schools— Originated  with  Raikes— Wesley  among  the 
first  to  patronize  them — Teachers  labour  gratuitously — Wes- 
ley's account  of  them— Origin  in  Wales  by  the  labours  of  Mr. 
Charles— These  gave  rise  to  the  Bible  Societies— First  taught 
by  Methodists  in  America— The  glory  of  the  good  work  due  to 
God. 

We  have  seen  that  Methodism  has  taken  the 
lead  in  modern  missionary  enterprises,  and  in 
furnishing  the  community  with  small  cheap 
publications,  and  particularly  with  tracts,  suited 
to  the  times,  and  adapted  to  the  capacities  and 
wants  of  the  common  people.  This  led  to  fur- 
ther and  more  beneficial  results  in  the  Sunday- 
school  enterprise.  For  though  this  movement 
was  begun  by  Raikes,  who  was,  I  believe,  a 
member  of  the  Established  Church — and  to 
whatever  church  he  might  have  belonged,  he 
was  an  ornament  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  a 
philanthropist  of  the  purest  sort — in  the  city  of 
Gloucester,  in  1782,  yet  John  Wesley  was 
among  the  first  to  patronize  Sunday-schools, 
and  recommend  them  to  his  people.  In  his 
Magazine  for  January,  1*785,  only  about  three 
years  after  Raikes  began  his  Sunday-school  in 
Gloucester,  Mr.  Wesley  published  an  account  of 
them,  and  exhorted  his  societies  to  imitate  the 


WESLEY   PATRONIZES   THEM.  109 

example  set  them  by  Mr.  Raikes ;  and  they 
took  his  advice,  nay,  they  went  far  beyond  him 
in  the  philanthropic  character  of  the  schools; 
for  the  teachers  engaged  in  that  service  be- 
stowed their  labours  gratuitously,  whereas  the 
teachers  who  were  engaged  by  Raikes  were 
paid  for  their  services,  he  agreeing  to  give  them 
a  shilling  sterling  a  day  for  teaching  a  Sabbath- 
school.  We  claim,  therefore,  for  Wesley,  the 
merit  of  introducing  gratuitous  instruction  in 
Sabbath-schools,  and  thereby,  in  conjunction 
with  the  Christian  instruction  which  was  im- 
parted, of  giving  them  a  decided  and  thorough 
religious  character.  In  the  same  year,  1785,  a 
Methodist  Sabbath-school  was  formed  at  Bolton 
le  Moor,  and,  under  date  of  April  16,  11 86,  Mr. 
Wesley  says,  "The  house  was  crowded  the 
more,  because  of  550  children  who  are  taught 
in  our  Sunday-schools  :  such  an  army  of  them 
got  about  me  when  I  came  out  of  the  chapel, 
that  I  could  scarcely  disengage  myself  from 
them."  And  so  rapidly  did  they  multiply  in  his 
societies,  that  they  were  soon  found  in  almost 
every  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  and  they  were  constantly  taught  without 
fee  or  reward. 

Mr.  Wesley's  delight  in  beholding  the  pros- 
perity of  the  Sunday-schools,  must  have  been 


110  SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 

exquisite.     Speaking  of  his  visit  to  Bolton,  un- 
der date  of  April  19,  1788,  he  says, — 

"  And  this  1  mnst  avow,  there  is  not  such  a  set  of 
singers  in  any  of  the  Methodist  congregations  iu  the 
three  kingdoms.  There  cannot  be,  for  we  have  nearly 
a  hundred  such  trebles,  boys  and  girls,  selected  from  the 
Sunday-schools,  and  accurately  taught,  as  are  not  found 
together  in  any  chapel,  cathedral,  or  music-room  within 
the  four  seas.  Besides,  the  spirit  with  which  they  all 
sing,  and  the  beauty  of  many  of  them,  so  suits  the  melody, 
that  I  defy  any  to  exceed  it,  except  the  singing  of  angels 
iu  our  heavenly  Father's  house." 

On  the  20th  of  the  same  month  he  remarks : — 

"About  three,  I  met  between  900  and  1000  of  the 
children  belonging  to  our  Sunday-schools.  I  never  saw 
such  a  sight  before.  They  were  all  neatly  clean,  as  well 
as  plain  in  their  apparel.  All  were  serious  and  well- 
behaved.  "WTien  they  all  sung  together,  and  none  of 
them  out  of  tune,  the  melody  was  beyond  that  of  any 
theatre  ;  and,  what  is  best  of  all,  many  of  them  truly 
fear  God,  and  some  rejoice  in  his  salvation.  These  are 
a  pattern  to  all  the  to\\Ti.  Their  usual  diversion  is  to 
visit  the  poor  that  are  sick,  sometimes  six  or  eight,  or 
ten  together,  to  exhort,  comfort,  and  pray  with  them. 
Frequently  ten  or  more  get  together  to  sing  and  pray 
for  themselves,  sometimes  thirty  or  forty,  and  are  so 
earnestly  engaged,  alternately  singing,  praying,  and 
crying,  that  they  know  not  how  to  part.  You  children 
that  hear  this,  why  should  you  not  go  and  do  likewise  ? 
Is  not  God  liere  as  well  as  at  Bolton  ?  Let  God  arise 
and  maintain  his  own  cause,  even  out  of  the  mouths  of 
babes  and  sucklings.'' 


CROwrnERS  account.  Ill 

Surely  they  must  have  applied  themselves 
with  a  rare  diligence  to  bring*  these  schools  to 
such  a  degree  of  perfection  within  six  years  after 
their  commencement  by  the  philanthropic  Raikes. 
And  it  shows  with  what  hearty  zeal,  as  well  as 
wisdom,  the  Methodists  entered  into  this  benevo- 
lent work,  under  the  sanction,  and  at  the  re- 
commendation, of  their  founder.  And  the  holy 
enthusiasm  with  which  Wesley  speaks  of  those 
Sunday-school  children,  evinces  the  ardour  with 
which  he  beheld  this  new  development  of  Di- 
vine Providence  in  providing  means  for  the  in- 
struction and  salvation  of  the  rising  generation. 

Under  date  of  Madeley,  March  24,  1790,  in 
a  letter  to  a  friend,  he  says, — 

"  I  am  glad  you  have  set  up  Sunday-schools  at  New- 
castle. This  is  one  of  the  best  institutions  which  have 
been  seen  in  Europe  for  some  centuries,  and  will  do 
more  and  more  good,  provided  the  teachers  and  in- 
spectors do  their  duty.  Nothing  can  prevent  the  success 
of  this  blessed  work,  but  the  neglect  of  the  instruments ; 
therefore,  be  sure  to  watch  them  with  all  care,  that  they 
may  not  grow  weary  in  well-doing." 

Mr.  Crowther,  in  his  portraiture  of  Method- 
ism, states,  **  that  since  the  establishment  of 
Sunday-schools,  the  Methodists  have  done  more 
to  support  them  than  all  other  denominations  in 
Enorland."     Mr.  Charles,  a  Calvinistic  Methodist 


112  SU>T)  AT- SCHOOLS. 

preacher,  was  either  the  first,  or  among  the  first, 
that  introduced  these  schools  into  Wales.  To 
him  is  ascribed  the  honour  of  originating  that 
philanthropic  institution,  *'  The  British  and  Fo- 
reign Bible  Society,"  which  has  been  significantly 
called  "  the  bloominof  daufditer  of  Sabbath- 
schools,"  because  the  want  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures in  the  Sunday-schools  in  Wales,  as  com- 
municated by  Mr.  Charles,  led  to  the  formation 
of  that  noble  institution,  and  this  finally  led  to 
the  establishment  of  the  American  Bible  Society, 
in  1826.  It  appears,  therefore,  that  the  gigantic 
efforts  that  have  been  put,  and  are  now  putting 
forth  in  the  Bible  cause,  may  be  distinctly  traced 
to  the  influence  of  Methodism.  Thus  has  this 
"  plant  of  renown,"  despised  and  persecuted  at 
first,  and  for  a  considerable  time  after  it  began 
its  growth,  spread  out  its  branches  in  different 
directions,  sheltering  many  of  the  weary  sons 
and  daughters  of  man. 

And  it  should  not  be  forgotten,  that  while  it 
is  stated  that  the  Simday-School  Society  in  Eng- 
land, during  the  first  fifteen  years  of  its  exist- 
ence— that  is,  from  1785  to  1800 — expended 
£5,000  sterling  in  paying  the  wages  of  teachers, 
the  Methodist  teachers  refused  all  compensation 
for  their  services,  as  is  well  known  to  all  who 
are  acquainted  with  the  subject,  thus  showing 


THEIR    ORIGIN    IN    AMERICA.  llo 

the  charitable  spirit  by  which  they  have  been, 
and  are,  actuated ;  and  such  has  been  the  influ- 
ence of  their  example  in  this  respect,  that  all 
others  have  copied  it,  none  receiving,  so  far  as  is 
known  to  the  writer,  any  pecuniary  reward  for 
their  services. 

But,  notwithstanding  the  above  facts  are 
notorious  in  regard  to  Sabbath- schools  in  the 
Old  World,  it  had  been  asserted  that  their  com- 
mencement in  America  was  owing  to  the  labours 
of  Bishop  White  and  Dr.  Rush,  and  some  per- 
sons connected  with  the  society  of  Friends  in 
Philadelphia ;  and  it  had  been  announced  as  an 
indisputable  fact,  that  the  school  established  by 
Mrs.  Bethune,  in  1815,  was  *'  the  first  Sunday- 
school  in  the  New  Worlds  These  announce- 
ments were  generally  considered  as  authentic, 
until  the  formation  of  the  Sunday-School  Union 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  April  2d, 
1827,  which,  on  account  of  the  clamour  that 
was  made  concerning  this  event,  led  the  mana- 
gers to  investigate  the  subject,  when  the  fol- 
lowing facts  were  elicited,  which  were  laid 
before  the  public  in  the  first  Annual  Report  in 
1828:— 

"  We  shall  not  now  present  the  many  facts  in  our 
possession,  which  go  to  defeat  the  pretensions  thus  made 
to  the  claim  of  priority  in  this  country,  but  shall  content 

8 


114  SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 

ourselves  for  the  present  with  recording,  that  in  the 
year  1786,  a  Sabbath-school  was  taught  in  the  house  of 
our  aged  brother,  Thomas  Crenshaw,  now  living  in 
Hanover  count}',  Va. ;  and  in  the  following  year,  forty- 
one  years  ago,  the  Rev.  John  Charleston  was  converted 
to  God  in  that  school,  and  he  also  still  lives,  having 
laboured  with  zeal  and  success  for  thirty-nine  years  past 
as  a  minister  in  our  Church.  About  the  same  time 
there  were  many  more  in  successful  operation,  as  may 
be  seen  by  a  reference  to  Bishop  Asbury's  Journal, 
vol.  ii,  p.  65,  and  Lee's  History  of  Methodism,  pp.  162-3. 
And  from  these  facts,  we  apprehend,  it  will  not  be  denied 
that  these  schools  were  established  several  years  before 
any  other  denomination  participated  in  our  labours,  or 
shared  our  reproach.  For  about  this  time  there  were 
persecutions  instituted  against  the  brethren  engaged  in 
these  schools,  which  might  damp  the  ardom*  of  most  of 
our  modern  teachers.  By  a  letter  lately  received  from 
the  Rev.  Stith  Mead,  an  old  veteran  of  the  cross,  now 
labom-ing  within  the  bounds  of  the  Virginia  Conference, 
we  learn  that  not  long  after,  the  Rev.  George  Daugha- 
day,  stationed  preacher  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  was  severely 
beaten  on  the  head  with  a  club,  and  subsequently  had 
water  pumped  on  him  from  a  public  cistern,  for  tlie 
crime  of  conducting 'a  Sabbath-school  for  the  benefit  of 
the  African  children  of  tliat  vicinit}^  Thus  he  and  others 
'both  laboured  and  suffered  reproach,'  and  we  live  to 
reap  the  fruit  of  their  doings. 

"From  these  statements,  which  we  regret  have  not 
been  published  before,  of  what  our  fathers  and  brethren 
have  done  in  this  good  cause,  all  will  agree  that  at  this 
late  date  something  ought  to  be  expected  of  us,  as  the 
descendants  of  such  progenitors.  And  we  rejoice  that 
the  formation  of  the  Sunday- School  Union  of  tlie  Me- 


MR.    RAIKES.  115 

thodist  Episcopal  Church  has  given  an  impulse  to  these 
institutions,  which,  we  trust,  under  the  blessing  of  Hea- 
ven, will  be  seen  and  felt,  wuth  continual  augmentation, 
to  the  latest  posterity.  And  it  is  with  mingled  emotions 
of  pleasure  and  gratitude,  that  the  Board  now  invite  the 
attention  of  the  friends  and  patrons  of  our  infant  insti- 
tution to  the  interesting  details  of  this  their  first  Annual 
Report." 

Though  Mr.  Raikes  commenced  his  Sunday- 
school  for  the  exclusive  benefit  of  those  idle  and 
profligate  children  whom  he  found  playing  in 
the  streets  on  the  Lord's  day,  in  the  town  of 
Gloucester,  and,  perhaps,  at  first,  designed 
nothing  more  than  to  teach  them  the  elementary 
piinciples  of  the  English  language,  yet  to  what 
important  results  has  that  simple  circumstance 
led  !  Now  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  read  and 
explained,  and  children  of  all  classes,  those 
regularly  taught  in  the  common  schools  of  the 
country,  and  those  otherwise  instructed  in  the 
principles  of  rehgion,  are  gathered  into  Sunday- 
schools,  and  placed  under  the  tuition  of  teachers 
who  *'  fear  God  and  work  righteousness."  Nor 
is  the  practice  confined  to  one  denomination  of 
Christians,  but  happily  extends  among  all,  not 
excepting  even  the  Roman  Catholics. 

Now,  although  Raikes  was  not  a  Methodist, 
yet  Methodism  had  been  at  work  for  nearly  half 
a   century   before   he    commenced    his    public 


116  SUXDAY-SCHOOLS. 

career  of  a  patron  of  Sunday-schools.  And  how 
far  he  was  indebted  to  the  indirect  influence  of 
Methodism,  for  it  peiTaded  all  the  ranks  of 
evangelism  more  or  less,  who  can  tell  ?  At  any 
rate,  as  we  have  seen  above,  no  sooner  was  the 
experiment  made,  than  Wesley  availed  himself 
of  this  auxiliary  means  to  do  good  to  the  souls 
and  bodies  of  men,  hailing  it  with  the  most  ex- 
quisite delight,  and  enlisting  all  his  societies  in 
this  work  of  benevolence  to  the  rising  genera- 
tion. And  if  we  have  reason  to  bless  God  for 
the  existence  and  powerful  operation  of  the 
British  and  Foreign,  and  the  American  and 
other  Bible  Societies,  then  have  we  abundant 
cause  to  praise  Him  for  raising  up  Methodism, 
for  it  was  througjh  this  influence  that  these  ojod- 
like  institutions  were  organized. 

These  things  are  not  said  for  the  purpose  of 
assuming  a  glory  which  belongs  exclusively  to 
God.  Were  we  to  do  this,  we  might  anticipate 
His  frown  instead  of  His  smile.  "  The  good 
that  is  done  upon  the  earth,  He  doeth  it."  But 
while  historical  accuracy  requires  the  facts  to  be 
stated  as  they  were,  a  just  sense  of  our  depen- 
dence on  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  con- 
strains us  to  ascribe  to  Him,  and  to  Him  alone, 
the  honour  and  glory  of  *'  every  good  and  per- 
fect gift."     It  was  God  that  raised  up  Wesley, 


GOD'S  WORK.  117 

and  made  him  instrumental  of  so  much  good  to 
the  Churches.  It  was  God  that  raised  him  up 
such  efficient  helpers  in  the  field  of  labour,  and 
thrust  them  out  to  convert  "  sinners  from  the 
errors  of  their  ways."  It  was  God  that  directed 
the  immortal  Raikes  to  devise  ways  and  means 
to  rescue  those  forlorn  children,  who  were  pro- 
faning the  holy  Sabbath,  from  their  thraldom, 
and  gather  them  into  Sabbath-schools.  It  was 
the  same  almighty  Spirit  who  inspired  his  ser- 
vants to  seize  hold  of  this  moral  lever,  that  they 
might  raise  the  degraded  sons  of  men  from  their 
**  low  estate,"  and  exalt  them  among  the  "  princes 
of  the  people."  And  He,  by  the  same  influ- 
ence, has  raised  his  willing  people,  of  every 
name  and  denomination,  to  take  hold  of  this  in- 
strument, and  wield  it  manfully,  in  the  tnie 
spirit  of  Christian  charity,  for  the  destruction 
of  error  and  vice,  and  for  the  establishment  of 
truth  and  righteousness  in  the  world. 

May  "many"  continue  "to  nm  to  and  fro, 
until  the  knowledge"  of  God's  salvation  shall 
"  extend  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  rivers  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth." 


118  TEMPERANCE. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

The  temperance  reformation— Mr.  Wesley  takes  the  lead  in  this 
—Extract  from  his  sermon— From  his  tract— General  rule  on 
that  subject  incorporated  in  an  altered  form  at  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1784— The  Church 
vacillates  on  this  subject— IntemperaJice  gaining  upon  us— 
The  voice  of  Hewitt  awakens  us— Restoration  of  Wesley's 
Rule— Importance  of  the  cause. 

Among  the  many  means  which  have  been  used 
in  modern  times  for  the  good  of  mankind,  we 
may  include  the  Temperance  Reformation  as 
one  of  the  most  efficient.  The  evils  of  intem- 
perance are  so  numerous  ;  in  many  instances  so 
appalling,  so  comphcated  in  their  character,  so 
direfully  destructive  to  present  peace  and  pros- 
perity, and  to  future  hopes  and  happiness,  that 
it  seems  needless  to  enumerate  them ;  there  is, 
indeed,  no  one  vice  that  has  been  productive  of 
so  great  an  amount  of  misery,  temporal  and 
eternal,  as  di-unkenness.  How  many  wealthy 
famihes  have  been  reduced  to  poverty;  how 
many  vrives  have  been  made  widows  ;  how  many 
children  have  been  left  orphans;  how  many 
crimes  have  been  perpetrated,  in  consequence 
of  inebriety,  what  pen  can  write,  or  what 
arithmetic  can  calculate,  or  what  mind  can  even 
conceive  ? 

To  check   an  evil  of  such  magnitude,  what 


INTEMPERANCE.  119 

miglity  efforts  have  been  put  forth  within  the 
last  half  century !  And  yet  how  many  there 
are  who  remain  under  the  power  of  this  tyrant ! 
But  among  all  the  writers  or  speakers  against 
drunkenness,  and  in  favour  of  temperance,  none 
has  wielded  a  more  powerful  pen,  or  spoken 
with  a  more  distinct  and  loud  voice,  than  did 
John  Wesley.  And  he  spoke  and  wrote  long 
before  the  present  temperance  reformation  com- 
menced its  onward  march.  Even  as  early  as 
1743,  the  rule  was  inserted  in  the  "General 
Rules  of  the  United  Societies,"  forbidding  "  Drun- 
kenness, buying  or  selling  spirituous  liquors,  or 
drinking  them,  unless  in  cases  of  extreme  neces- 
sity." In  this  rule,  not  only  the  drinking  of 
spirituous  liquors,  but  all  trafficking  in  them,  the ' 
huying  or  selling  them,  is  absolutely  prohibited, 
unless  in  cases  of  extreme  necessity ;  by  which 
we  are  to  understand  the  using  them  only  as  a 
medicine.  Here,  then,  was  the  germ  of  a  strictly 
temperance  society,  and  all  the  societies  founded 
by  Mr.  Wesley  recognized  this  as  one  of  their 
binding  mles.  Mr.  Wesley,  therefore,  in  this, 
as  well  as  in  many  other  respects,  lived  a  hun- 
dred years  in  advance  of  his  age,  as  he  actually 
anticipated  the  era  of  the  temperance  reforma- 
tion for  nearly  that  length  of  time.  Let  us  see 
liow  he  attempted  to  enforce  the  rule  upon  the 


120  TEMPERANCE. 

consciences  of  mankind,  by  his  preaching  and 
writings.  Among  all  the  warnings  to  the  ine- 
briate, or  exhortations  to  induce  him  to  forsake 
hh  cups,  and  "  flee  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on 
the  hope  set  before  him,"  there  is  none  to  be 
found  so  pointed,  and,  I  might  add,  so  tremen- 
dously eloquent,  because  expressed  in  the  sim- 
plest language  of  truth,  addressed  directly  to 
the  understanding  and  conscience,  as  the  follow- 
ing, taken  from  his  sermon  on  *'  The  Use  of 
Money."  He  says,  among  other  things  by 
which  a  man  may  acquire  riches  unlawfully  : — 

"  Neither  may  we  gain  by  hurting  our  neighbour  in 
his  body.  Therefore  we  may  not  sell  anything  which 
tends  to  impair  health.  Such  is,  eminently,  all  that 
liquid  fire,  commonly  called  drams,  or  spirituous  liquors. 
It  is  ti-ue,  these  may  have  a  place  in  medicine ;  they 
may  be  of  use  in  some  bodily  disorders  ;  although  there 
would  rarely  be  occasion  for  them,  were  it  not  for  the 
imskilfulness  of  the  practitioner.  Therefore  such  as 
prepare  and  sell  them  only  for  this  end,  may  keep  their 
conscience  cleai'.  But  who  are  they  who  prepare  them 
only  for  this  end  1  Do  you  know  ten  such  distillers  in 
England  ?  Then  excuse  these.  But  all  who  sell  them 
in  the  common  way,  to  any  that  will  buy,  are  poisoners 
general.  They  murder  his  Majesty's  subjects  by  whole- 
sale, neither  does  their  eye  pity  or  spare.  They  drive 
them  to  hell  like  sheep  :  and  what  is  their  gain  ?  Is  it 
not  the  blood  of  these  men  ?  TVTio  then  would  envy 
their  large  estates  and  sumptuous  palaces  ?  A  curse  is 
in  tlic  midst  of  them :  the  curse  of  God  cleaves  to  the 


WESLEY'S  WORDS.  121 

Stones,  the  timber,  the  furniture  of  them  !  The  curse 
of  God  is  in  tlieir  gardens,  their  walks,  their  groves  ;  a 
fire  that  bm-ns  to  the  nethermost  hell !  Blood,  blood  is 
there  ;  the  foundation,  the  floor,  the  walls,  the  roof,  are 
stained  with  blood  !  And  canst  thou  hope,  O  thou  man 
of  blood,  though  thou  art  '  clothed  in  scarlet  and  fine 
linen,  and  fnrest  sumptuously  every  day;'  canst  thou 
hope  to  deliver  doTvn  thj  Jields  of  blood  to  the  third 
generation  1  ISTot  so ;  for  there  is  a  God  in  heaven : 
therefore,  thy  name  shall  soon  be  rooted  out.  Like  as 
those  whom  thou  hast  destroyed,  body  and  soul,  '  thy 
memorial  shall  perish  with  thee !' " —  Works,  vol.  i,  p.  443. 

One  can  hardly  read  these  words  without  a 
shudder !  Such  awful  curses  denounced  upon 
these  "murderers  general,"  these  "men  of 
blood,"  are  enough  to  make  the  flesh  quiver, 
and  to  beget  a  "  fearful  looking  for  of  fiery  indig-' 
nation,  which  shall  devour  the  adversaries." 

Nor  are  the  following  remarks  less  pointed 
and  solemn : — 

"  Are  you  a  man  ?  God  made  you  a  man ;  but  you 
make  yourself  a  beast.  AVherein  does  a  man  differ  from 
a  beast  ?  Is  it  not  chiefly  in  reason  and  understanding  1 
But  you  throw  away  what  reason  you  have.  You  strip 
yourself  of  your  understanding.  You  do  all  you  can  to 
make  yourself  a  mere  beast ;  not  a  fool,  not  a  madman 
only,  but  a  swine,  a  poor  filthy  swine.  Go  and  wallow 
with  them  in  tbe  mire !  Go  drink  on,  till  thy  nakedness 
be  uncovered,  and  shameful  spewing  be  on  tby  glory ! 

"  0  how  honourable  is  a  beast  of  God's  making,  com- 
pared to  one  who  makes  liimself  a  beast !      But  that 


122  TEMPERANCE. 

is  not  all.  You  make  yourself  a  devil.  You  stir  up  all 
the  devilish  tempers  that  are  in  you,  and  gain  others, 
whicli  perhaps  were  not  in  you ;  at  least  you  heighten 
and  increase  them.  You  cause  the  fire  of  anger,  or 
malice,  or  lust,  to  bum  seven  times  hotter  than  before. 
At  the  same  time  you  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God,  till  you 
drive  him  quite  away  fi'om  you  ;  and  whatever  spark  of 
good  remained  in  your  soul,  you  drown  and  quench  at 
once. 

"  So  you  are  now  just  fit  for  every  work  of  the  devil, 
lia\ang  cast  off  all  that  is  good  or  virtuous,  and  filled 
your  heart  with  everything  that  is  bad,  that  is  earthly, 
sensual,  devilish.  You  have  forced  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
depart  from  you ;  for  you  would  take  none  of  his  re- 
proof; and  you  have  given  yourself  up  into  the  hands 
of  the  devil,  to  be  led  blindfold  by  him  at  his  will. 

"  Now  what  should  hinder  the  same  thing  from  be- 
falling you,  which  befell  him  who  was  asked,  which  was 
the  greater  sin,  adultery,  drunkenness,  or  murder ;  and 
which  of  the  three  he  had  rather  commit?  He  said 
drunkeimess  was  the  least.  Soon  after,  he  got  drunk  ; 
he  then  met  with  another  man's  wife,  and  ravished  her ; 
the  husband  coming  to  help  hex-,  he  murdered  him.  So 
drunkenness,  adultery,  and  murder  went  together. 

"  I  have  heard  a  story  of  a  poor  wild  Indian,  far  wiser 
than  either  him  or  you.  The  English  gave  him  a  cask  of 
strong  liquor.  The  next  morning  he  called  his  friends 
together,  and  setting  it  into  the  midst  of  them,  said, 
These  white  men  have  given  us  poison.  This  man,' 
(calling  him  by  his  name^  'was  a  wise  man,  and  would 
hurt  none  but  his  enemies ;  but  as  soon  as  he  had  drunk 
of  this  he  was  mad,  and  would  have  killed  his  own  bro- 
ther. We  will  not  be  poisoned.'  He  then  broke  the 
cask,  and  poured  the  liquor  upon  the  sand. 


GENERAL  RULES.  123 

"  On  what  motive  do  you  thus  poison  yourself?  only 
for  the  pleasure  of  doing  it  ?  What !  will  you  make 
yourself  a  beast,  or  rather  a  devil  1  Will  you  run  the 
hazard  of  committing  all  manner  of  villanies  ;  and  this 
only  for  the  poor  pleasm-e  of  a  few  moments,  Avhile  the 
poison  is  running  down  your  throat?  0,  never  call 
yourself  a  Christian  !  Never  call  yourself  a  man !  You 
are  sunk  beneath  the  greater  part  of  the  beasts  that 
perish." 

The  above  extracts  are  a  part  of  a  tract,  en- 
titled, '*  A  Word  to  the  Drunkard,"  which  was 
extensively  circulated,  and,  I  doubt  not,  was  in- 
strumental of  rescuing  many  of  that  imhappy 
class  of  men. 

I  have  already  quoted  the  item  in  the  Gene- 
ral Rules,  which  prohibits  buying,  selling,  or 
drinking  spirituous  liquors,  unless  in  cases  of 
extreme  necessity.  At  the  organization  of  the 
Church,  in  1*784,  in  this  country,  the  same  rule 
was  adopted,  with  the  exception  of  the  words, 
"  unless  in  cases  of  extreme  necessity,"  which 
were  omitted,  so  that  the  rule  was  more  strin- 
gent than  as  it  came  from  the  hands  of  Mr. 
Wesley.  And  I  believe  the  Methodist  preach- 
ers of  that  day,  and  the  people  also,  acted  up 
to  the  requirements  of  the  rule ;  for  they  have 
been  made  the  "  song  of  the  drunkard  "  often 
for  refusing  to  partake  of  the  poisonous  liquid 
when  offered  them,  in  the  early  days  of  their 


124  TEMPERANCE. 

ministry.  After  a  while,  however,  they  began 
to  relax,  and  the  rule  itself  was  altered  in  1790, 
by  inserting  the  words,  ''  unless  in  cases  of  ne- 
cessity," and  omitting  the  words,  "  buying  or 
selling;"  thus  absurdly  screening  the  seller  and 
buyer,  while  it  condemned  the  drinker !  Thus 
the  rule  stood  until  the  General  Conference  of 
1848,  when  Mr.  "Wesley's  original  rule  was  re- 
stored to  the  Discipline,  so  that  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  may  now  be  considered  a 
strict  temperance  society,  prohibiting  its  mem- 
bers all  use  of  spirituous  liquors,  except  in  cases 
of  extreme  necessity  ;  by  which  I  understand, 
that  they  are  to  be  used  only  medicinally ;  in 
which  way,  like  other  drugs,  they  may  some- 
times be  of  service. 

I  have  given  the  above  facts  for  the  purpose 
of  showing,  not  only  that  Mr.  Wesley  and  his 
compeers  took  the  lead  in  the  cause  of  tempe- 
rance ;  but  also  to  exhibit  the  manner  in  which 
the  Methodists,  in  this  coimtry,  vacillated  from 
one  extreme  to  another,  imtil  finally  they  have 
settled  down  upon  the  true  pnnciple ;  namely, 
a  total  abstinence  from  all  intoxicating  liquoi-s, 
unless  used  as  a  medicine.  It  is,  indeed,  a  fact, 
which  I  am  almost  ashamed  to  confess,  that  at 
the  time  the  temperance  reformation  commenced, 
by  the  organization  of  the  American  Temperance 


THE   RULE   A  DEAD  LETTER.  125 

Society,  notwithstanding  our  rule  against  the  use 
of  spirituous  Hquors,  many  of  us,  both  preachers 
and  people,  were  in  the  habit  of  drinking,  if  not 
to  excess,  yet  drinking  moderately,  cider,  beer, 
wine,  and  brandy ;  and  the  probability  is,  that 
had  not  the  temperance  measures  been  adopted, 
they  would  soon  have  been  carried  away  by  the 
flood  of  intemperance.  The  rule  had  become 
almost  a  dead  letter,  and  the  Church  had  fallen 
asleep  upon  this  subject,  so  that  the  evil  was 
creeping  in,  as  it  were  imperceptibly,  when  the 
voice  of  warning  was  heard,  deep  and  loud, 
sounding  in  our  midst;  this  broke  the  dead 
slumber,  and  caused  us  to  look  around,  to  search 
our  "  Jerusalem,  as  with  a  lighted  candle,"  and 
soon  the  "  abomination  which  maketh  desolate' ' 
was  found  lurking  in  the  secret  places  of  the 
sanctuary.  From  that  time  to  this,  we  have 
been  striving  to  banish  the  evil  from  the  pre- 
cincts of  the  Church  ;  and  it  is  confidently  be- 
lieved that  the  restoration  of  Mr.  Wesley's  ori- 
ginal rule,  and  the  steady  eftbrts  of  God's  min- 
isters and  people,  will  finally  gain  a  complete 
triumph  over  alcohohc  drinks ;  and,  in  conjunction 
with  all  others  who  are  engaged  in  this  noble 
cause,  be  instrumental  in  establishing  the  strict 
principles  of  temperance  in  every  part  of  our 
land. 


126  TEMPERANCE. 

It  will  be  perceived  by  the  attentive  reader, 
that  there  has  been  a  mighty  improvement  since 
1826,  when  the  temperance  reformation  began 
its  movements,  even  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Chm-ch.  And  herein  I  am  glad  to  acknowledge 
our  indebtedness  to  a  Congregational  minister, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Hewitt,  whose  name  ought  to  be 
enrolled  among  the  benefactors  of  mankind,  for 
reviving  the  principles  and  practice  of  tem- 
perance, and  thus  beginning  the  work  which 
has  eventuated  in  so  much  good  to  the  souls 
and  bodies  of  men;  and  for  urging  upon  the 
churches  the  indispensable  duty  of  setting  an 
example  to  the  world,  of  a  strict  adherence  to 
the  principles  and  duties  of  temperance ;  while 
he  and  his  friends  must  acknowledge  that  Mr. 
Wesley  first  broached  the  fact,  that  drimken- 
ness  was  destroying  its  thousands  ;  and  that 
there  was  no  other  effectual  way  to  save  them 
from  perdition,  than  by  inducing  them  to  break 
off  from  their  sins  by  tm-ning  to  God ;  by  re- 
pentance, and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  by  which 
a  thorough  reformation  would  be  effected — so 
thorough  that  the  drunkard  would  become  a 
sober,  self-denying  Christian. 

We  will  acknowledge  that  th^se  warnings  of 
the  founder  of  our  Chm-ch  had  become  indis- 
tinctly heard  by  many  among  us   at  the  time 


1 


ITS  IMPOKTANCE.  127 

Mr.  Hewitt  began  to  lift  up  bis  voice  in  favour 
of  temperance.  But  by  whatever  instrumen- 
tality the  reformation  has  been  effected,  we  re- 
joice in  beholding  this  manifest  improvement, 
not  only  among  ourselves,  but  also  among  all 
denominations  of  Christians  ;  and  I  should  deeply 
lament  any  relapse  into  the  former  practice  of 
moderate  drinking;  much  more,  should  the 
same  "  excess  of  riot "  be  revived,  either  in  the 
high  or  low  places  of  our  nation.  And  here  I 
wish  to  record  my  solemn  conviction,  that  the 
temperance  reformation  is  to  be  ranked  among 
the  most  important,  because  among  the  most 
useful,  the  most  highly  beneficial,  and  the  most 
intimately  connected  with  the  present  peace  and 
prosperity  of  mankind,  and  with  their  future 
hopes  and  felicity,  of  any  other  cause  whatever. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

An  apology — God  the  Fountain  of  all  good — His  servants  to  be 
esteemed — Disputes  among  Christians  a  hindrance  to  the 
Gospel— Evangelical  Alliance— Mr.  Wesley  proposed  its  prin- 
ciples eighty-six  years  since— Extracts  from  his  letter  to  the 
clergy  on  this  subject— Produced  no  immediate  effect. 

I  HAVE  some  fears  that  I  shall  fatigue  the  reader 
by  extending  these  chapters  to  an  undue  length ; 
but  I  must  beg  his  patience.     As  the  naturalist 


128  GOD'S  INSTRUMENTS. 

delights  to  trace  a  stream  to  its  source,  and  the 
philosopher  an  effect  to  its  cause,  so  does  the 
Christian  delight  to  trace  the  various  philanthro- 
pic movements  of  the  present  day  to  their  be- 
ginnings. In  doing  this  I  have  no  pride  of  sect 
to  gratify — no  human  vanity  to  feed  or  inflame 
- — nor  yet  any  selfish  ends  to  accomphsh. 
*'  The  good  that  is  done  upon  the  earth,  God 
doeth  it."  "  Not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but 
by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord." 

But  though  God  is  the  Fountain  whence  pro- 
ceed all  the  streams  of  wisdom,  truth,  and  good- 
ness, with  which  the  children  of  men  are  re- 
freshed, yet  the  instruments  He  has  seen  fit  to 
raise  up,  qualify,  and  send  forth  into  his  vine- 
yard, are  to  be  honoured  by  his  Church  ac- 
cording to  their  worth,  and  we  are  commanded 
to  "  esteem  them  very  highly  in  love  for  their 
works'  sake,"  and  to  have  them  "  in  everlasting 
remembrance."  Some,  indeed,  while  they  pro- 
fess a  high  regard  for  the  honour  and  glory  of 
God,  endeavour  to  cover  his  most  faithful  ser- 
vants with  reproach,  as  though  they  reflected 
the  glory  of  God  by  falsifying  tlie  character  of 
his  servants.  Let  such  remember,  that  in  load- 
ing his  servants  with  reproach,  they  indirectly 
aim  a  blow  at  the  Godhead,  whose  perfections 
are  shadowed  forth  in  his  most  faithful  servants. 


CHRISTIAN  PROFESSORS.  129 

« 

These  are  indeed  the  visible  representatives  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  therefore  if  we  hate  and  per- 
secute them,  we  thereby  show  oiu-  hatred  to 
Him  whose  image  they  reflect. 

One  of  the  greatest  hindrances  to  the  spread 
of  pure  and  undefiled  religion,  has  been  the  ani- 
mosity manifested  by  the  professed  followers  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  towards  one  another.  Though 
this  has  not  been  more  apparent  among  pro- 
fessed Christians,  with  the  exception  of  those 
persecutions  which  have  been  fomented  at  differ- 
ent times  by  the  Roman  Catholics  towards  the 
Protestants,  and  by  some  Protestants  towards 
other  Protestants,  than  it  has  among  the  sects 
of  philosophers,  yet  it  has  ever  been  seized  upon 
by  the  enemies  of  Christianity  as  an  infalhble 
mark  of  the  insincerity,  or  at  least  of  the  incon- 
sistency of  professed  Christians ;  for  these  say, 
and  say  very  justly,  that  while  Christians  pro- 
fess a  religion  which  breathes  naught  but  love 
and  good-will  to  men,  they  exhibit  all  the  ran- 
cour of  demons,  slander  and  persecute  each 
other  in  a  variety  of  ways,  and  thereby  give 
evidence  that  they  are  destitute  of  that  very  re- 
ligion which  they  profess  to  believe  in,  venerate, 
and  enjoy.  Now  it  must  be  confessed  that 
there  is  too  much  ground  for  this  objection. 
Though  it  be  true  that  the  real  disciple  of  Jesus 
9 


130       ^  CHRISTIAN   UNION. 

Christ,  in  eveiy  age  of  the  Church,  has  fur- 
nished irrefutable  evidence  that  love  is  the  pre- 
dominant principle  of  his  heart,  yet  there  have 
not  been  wanting  fiery  bigots,  whose  intemperate 
zeal  has  impelled  them  to  acts  of  impiiidence, 
of  injustice,  of  persecution,  by  which  they  have 
disgraced  themselves  and  the  cause  they  pro- 
fessed to  defend.  These  lamentable  evils  have 
always  been  a  source  of  grief  to  the  sincere  fol- 
lower of  Jesus  Christ,  and  have  led  him  to 
"  weep  between  the  porch  and  the  altar,  and  to 
say,  Spare  thy  people,  good  Lord,  and  give  not 
thine  heritage  to  the  heathen." 

This  state  of  things,  and  this  view  of  the  sub- 
ject, have  recently  induced  some  of  the  evan- 
gelical Christians  to  adopt  measures  to  remedy 
these  evils,  and  to  strive  to  bring  all  true  lovers 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  into  a  closer  harmony  one 
with  another. 

Whether  the  "Evangehcal  Alliance"  shall 
ever  obtain  a  permanent  existence  or  not,  it  has 
already  produced  a  result  highly  beneficial  to 
the  interests  of  true  religion.  It  has  tended  to 
soften  the  asperities  of  sectarian  feeling,  to  pare 
down  the  pride  of  sect,  and  to  make  the  dijQfer- 
ent  denominations  feel  that  they  are  embarked 
in  a  common  cause,  and  that  therefore,  notwith- 
standing they  differ  on  minor  points  of  doctrine, 


WESLEY'S  EFFORTS.  131 

and  vary  in  their  modes  of  worship,  and  their 
formularies  of  devotion,  they  agree  in  the  fun- 
damental truths  of  the  Gospel,  in  all  those 
facts  and  doctrines  which  are  essential  to  salva- 
tion, and  may  therefore  unite  as  "  brethren  be- 
loved" in  one  common  brotherhood,  bound  to- 
gether in  the  strong  cords  of  love  and  Christian 
fellowship.  Having  gained  thus  much,  if  the 
friends  of  the  cause  shall  persevere  in  the  same 
spirit  of  mutual  good-will  with  which  they  have 
begun,  they  will  acquire  more  and  more  strength, 
will  commend  their  cause  to  the  approbation  of 
the  good  and  pious  of  all  orders,  and  thus  be 
instrumental  in  diffusing  the  spirit  of  mutual 
forbearance,  teaching  all  with  whom  they  come 
in  contact,  that  Divine  Love  "  hopeth  all  things, 
beareth  all  things,  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but 
rejoiceth  in  the  truth." 

But  how  has  Methodism  contributed  to  this 
result  ?  To  this  I  answer,  that  John  Wesley 
was  the  first  to  broach  the  idea  of  uniting  all 
the  evangelical  clergy  in  one  common  brother- 
hood, and  that  too  on  the  very  principles  adopted 
by  the  Evangelical  Alliance  as  the  basis  of  its 
union.  Under  date  of  April  19,  1*764,  he  says  : 
"  I  wrote  a  letter  to-day,  which  after  some  time 
I  sent  to  forty  or  fifty  clergymen,  with  the  little 
preface  annexed : — 


132  CHRISTIAN    UNION. 

"■Dear  Sh\—1{  has  pleased  God  to  give  you  both  the 
will  and  the  power  to  do  many  things  for  his  gloiy ;  al- 
though you  are  often  ashamed  you  have  done  so  little, 
and  wish  you  could  do  a  thousand  times  more.  This 
induces  me  to  mention  to  you  what  has  been  upon  my 
mind  for  many  years,  and  what  I  am  persuaded  would 
be  much  for  the  glory  of  God,  if  it  could  once  be  ef- 
fected ;  and  I  am  in  great  hopes  it  will  be,  if  you  heart- 
ily undertake  it,  trusting  in  him  alone. 

"  Some  years  since,  God  began  a  great  work  in  Eng- 
land :  but  the  labourers  were  few.  At  first  those  few 
were  of  one  heart ;  but  it  was  not  so  long.  First  one 
fell  off,  then  another  and  another,  till  no  two  of  us  were 
left  together  in  the  work,  besides  my  brother  and  me. 
This  prevented  much  good,  and  occasioned  much  evil. 
It  grieved  our  spirits  and  weakened  our  hands ;  it  gave 
our  common  enemies  huge  occasion  to  blaspheme.  It 
perplexed  and  puzzled  many  sincere  Chiistians ;  it 
caused  many  to  draw  back  to  perdition ;  it  grieved  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God. 

"  As  labourers  increased,  disunion  increased.  Offences 
were  multiplied ;  and  instead  of  coming  nearer  to,  they 
stood  farther  and  farther  off  from,  each  other ;  till,  at 
length,  those  who  were  not  only  brethren  in  Christ,  but 
fellow-labourers  in  his  Gospel,  had  no  more  connexion 
or  fellowship  with  each  other  than  Protestants  have  with 
Papists. 

"  But  ought  this  to  be  ?  Ought  not  those  who  ai-c 
united  to  one  common  Head,  and  employed  by  him  in 
one  common  work,  to  be  united  to  each  other  ?  I  speak 
now  of  those  labourers  who  are  ISIinisters  of  the  Church 
of  England.     These  are  chiefly — 

"  Mr.  Perronct, Romaine,  Newton,  Shirley;  Mr. Down- 
ing, Jesse,  Adam;   Mr.   Talbot,  Kiland,   Stillingfleet, 


WESLEY'S  VIEWS.  133 

Fletcher;  Mr.  Johnson,  Badclily,  Andrews,  Jane:  Mr. 
Hart,  Symes,  Brown,  Kouquet;  Mr.  Sellon;  Mr.  Venn, 
Richardson,  Burnet,  Furly ;  Mr.  Conyers,  Bently,  King ; 
Mr.  Berridge,  Hicks,  J.  W.,  C.  W.,  John  Richardson, 
Benjamin  Colley ;  not  excluding  any  other  clergyman, 
who  agrees  in  these  essentials, — 

"I.  Original  sin. 

"  II.  Justification  by  Faith. 

"  III.  Holiness  of  heart  and  life ;  provided  their  life 
be  answerable  to  their  doctrine. 

" '  But  what  union  would  you  desire  among  these  V 
Not  a  union  in  opinions.  They  might  agree  or  disagree, 
touching  absolute  decrees  on  the  one  hand,  and  perfec- 
tion on  the  other.  Not  a  union  in  expressions.  These 
may  still  speak  of  the  imputed  righteousness,  and  those 
of  the  merits,  of  Christ.  Not  a  union  with  regard  to 
outward  order.  Some  may  still  remain  quite  regular, 
some  quite  irregular;  and  some  partly  regular  and 
partly  irregular.  But  these  things  being  as  they  are,  as 
each  is  persuaded  in  his  o\^ti  mind,  is  it  not  a  most  de- 
sirable thing  that  we  should, — 

"  1.  Remove  hindrances  out  of  the  way?  Not  judge 
one  another,  not  despise  one  another,  not  envy  one  an- 
other ?  Not  be  displeased  at  one  another's  gifts  or  suc- 
cess, even  though  greater  than  our  own  ?  Not  wait  for 
one  another's  halting,  much  less  wish  for  it,  or  rejoice 
therein  ?  Never  speak  disrespectfully,  slightly,  coldly, 
or  unkindly  of  each  other;  never  repeat  each  other's 
faults,  mistakes,  or  infirmities,  much  less  listen  for  and 
gather  them  up ;  .never  say  or  do  anything  to  hinder 
each  other's  usefulness,  either  directly  or  indirectly  ?  Is 
it  not  a  most  desirable  thing  that  we  should — 

"  2.  Love  as  brethren  ?     Think  well  of,  and  honour 


134  CHRISTIAN   UNIOX. 

one  another  ?  Wish  all  good,  all  grace,  all  gifts,  all 
success,  yea,  greater  than  our  own,  to  each  other  ?  Ex 
pect  God  will  answer  our  wish,  rejoice  in  eveiy  appear- 
ance thereof,  and  praise  him  for  it  ?  Readily  believe 
good  of  each  other,  as  readily  as  we  once  believed  evil  ? 
Speak  respectfully,  honourably,  kindly  of  each  other; 
defend  each  other's  character ;  speak  all  the  good  we 
can  of  each  other ;  recommend  one  another  where  we 
have  influence  ;  each  help  the  other  on  in  his  work,  and 
enlarge  his  mfluence  by  all  the  honest  means  he  can  1 

"  This  is  the  union  which  I  have  long  sought  after ; 
and  is  it  not  the  duty  of  every  one  of  us  so  to  do  ?  "Would 
it  not  be  far  better  for  om-selves  ?  A  means  of  promot- 
ing both  our  holiness  and  happiness  1  Would  it  not 
remove  much  guilt  from  those  who  have  been  faulty  in 
any  of  these  instances  ?  and  much  pain  from  those  who 
have  kept  themselves  pure  ?  Would  it  not  be  far  bet- 
ter for  the  people,  who  suffer  severely  from  the  clashing-3 
and  contentions  of  their  leaders,  which  seldom  fail  to 
occasion  many  unprofitable,  yea,  hurtful  disputes  among 
them  ?  Would  it  not  be  better  even  for  the  poor,  blind 
world,  robbing  them  of  their  sport, — '  O,  they  cannot 
agree  among  themselves  !'  Would  it  not  be  better  for 
the  whole  work  of  God,  which  would  then  deepen  and 
widen  on  every  side  ?  , 

" '  But  it  will  never  be ;  it  is  utterly  impossible.' 
Certainly  it  is  with  men.  Who  imagines  we  can  do 
this  1  that  it  can  be  effected  by  any  human  power  1 
All  nature  is  against  it,  every  infirmity,  every  wrong 
temper  and  passion;  love  of  honour  and  praise,  of 
power,  of  pre-eminence ;  anger,  resentment,  pride ; 
long-contracted  habit,  and  prejudice  lurking  in  ten  thou- 
sand forms.     The  devil  and  all  his  angels  are  against 


PROPOSED  BY  WESLEY.  135 

it.  For  if  this  takes  place,  how  shall  his  kingdom  stand  ? 
All  the  world,  all  that  know  not  God,  are  against  it, 
though  they  may  seem  to  favour  it  for  a  season.  Let  us 
settle  this  in  our  hearts,  that  we  may  be  utterly  cut  off 
from  all  dependence  on  our  own  strength  or  wisdom. 

"But  surely  'with  God  all  things  are  possible;' 
therefore  '  all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth ;' 
and  this  union  is  proposed  only  to  them  that  believe, 
that  show  their  faith  by  their  works.  When  Mr.  C. 
was  objecting  the  impossibility  of  ever  effecting  such  a 
union,  I  went  up  stairs,  and  after  a  little  prayer  opened 
Kempis  on  these  words : — Expecta  Dominum :  Viriliter 
age :  Noli  diffidere :  Noli  dicedere ;  sed  corpus  et  animam 
expone  constanter  pro  gloria  Dei.  [Wait  for  the  Lord :  act 
manfully :  do  not  distrust :  do  not  give  up ;  but  con- 
stantly expose  body  and  soul  for  the  glory  of  God.]  I 
am,  dear  sir,  your  affectionate  servant.  J,  W. 

''Scarborough,  Ap'il  19,  1764." 

Here  then  is  the  very  union  among  all  the 
evangelical  clergy,  proposed  by  Mr.  Wesley 
eighty-six  years  since,  and  which  he  tells  us 
had  long  been  on  his  mind.  And  though  this 
earnest  appeal  to  his  brethren  in  the  ministry 
was  unheeded  by  most  of  them,  yet  the  love 
that  burned  in  his  heart  emitted  a  constant,  even 
flame,  irradiating  in  diflferent  directions,  soften- 
ing and  illuminating  all  that  came  within  its  in- 
fluence, until  it  led  the  several  sects  of  evan- 
gelical Christians  to  make  a  mighty  efibrt  to 
bring  all  pure-minded  men  under  its  controlling 
power. 


136  CHRISTIAN    UNION. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  same  subject  continued— Difference  between  Wesley  and 
Whitefield — Their  interviews,  in  which  Whitefield  declines 
the  proffer  of  union— More  mature  reflection  altered  his  mind 
—The  sentiments  of  Wesley  embody  the  principles  of  the 
Evangelical  Alliance— The  author's  publications  on  that  sub- 
ject—Di^'ine  love  essential  to  constitute  Christian  union. 

In  the  last  chapter  I  endeavoured  to  show  that 
the  principles  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance  had 
been  broached  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  the  early  pe- 
riod of  his  ministry,  and  that  he  strove  to  exem- 
phfy  them  in  his  spirit  and  practice  in  eveiy 
possible  way.  Perhaps  no  doctrine  at  that  time 
caused  greater  uneasiness,  or  was  the  occasion 
of  a  sharper  controversy,  than  the  doctrine  of 
high  predestination,  as  taught  by  John  Calvin 
and  his  followers.  It  was  on  this  point  that 
Wesley  and  Whitefield  separated,  being  divided 
in  opinion,  though  not  in  heart  and  aflection — 
for  they  who  knev  each  other's  piety  and  in- 
tegrity always  loved  one  another  "  with  a  pure 
heart  fervently" — and  even  went  so  far  as  to 
preach  against  each  other's  peculiar  opinions. 
Notwithstanding  this  partial  separation,  such 
was  the  strength  of  his  attachment  to  White- 
field,  and  his  ardent  desire  to  unite  with  him  in 
the  great  work  in  which  they  were  mutually  en- 


MR.   WIIITEFIELD.  137 

gaged,  that  Wesley  wrote  a  letter  to  him,,  in 
which  he  made  all  the  concessions  a  conscien- 
tious man  could,  and  even  went  further  than  we 
could  now  do,  to  conciliate  his  brother  in  the 
ministry,  that  they  might  unite  their  strength 
and  influence  in  opposing  sin  and  winning  souls 
to  Jesus  Christ.  [Wesley's  Worl's,  vol.  iii, 
p.  239.) 

What  effect  this  had  upon  Mr.  Whitefield  I 
cannot  tell,  but  it  is  presumed  that  he  remained 
in  the  same  mind  he  before  manifested  towards 
his  old  friend  and  fellow-labourer  in  the  Gospel 
field.  What  that  was  may  be  seen  in  the  fol- 
lowing extract  from  the  Journal  of  Wesley :  un- 
der date  of  Jan.  23,  1741,  he  says  : — 

"  Having  heard  much  of  Mr.  Whiteficld's  unkind  be- 
haviour, since  his  return  from  Georgia,  I  went  to  him  to 
hear  him  speak  for  himself,  that  I  might  know  hoAv  to 
judge.  I  much  approved  of  his  pLainness  of  speech. 
He  told  me  he  and  I  preached  two  different  Gospels, 
and  therefore  he  not  only  would  not  join  with,  or  give 
me  the  right  hand  of  Christian  fellowship,  but  was  re- 
solved publicly  to  preach  against  me  and  my  brother, 
wheresoever  he  preached  at  all.  Mr.  Hall,  who  went 
with  me,  put  him  in  mind  of  the  promise  he  had  made 
but  a  few  days  before,  that,  whatever  his  private  opinion 
was,  he  would  never  publicly  preach  against  us.  He 
said,  that  promise  was  only  an  eflfect  of  human  weak- 
ness, and  he  was  now  of  another  mind." 

i  have  made  this  quotation  to  show  the  sin- 


138  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 

cere  desire  of  Wesley  to  live  in  Christian  and 
ministerial  fellowship  with  Wliitefield,  notwith- 
standing he  strongly  dissented  from  liim  on  some 
doctrinal  points.  It  appears,  however,  that  the 
latter  rejected  this  brotherly  overture,  because 
he  thought  that  Wesley,  in  opposing  the  pecu- 
liarities of  Calvinism,  thereby  sapped  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Gospel.  Time,  and  more  mature 
reflection,  however,  convinced  him  of  his  error 
in  this  respect,  and  taught  him  to  beUeve  that 
even  the  Arminian  Wesley  could  be  a  good 
man,  for  in  his  will  he  left  a  mourning  ring  for 
his  friend,  as  a  token  of  his  indissoluble  fellow- 
ship with  him,  and  likewise  requested  that,  if  he 
should  die  abroad,  he  should  be  selected  to 
preach  his  funeral  sermon — with  which  Mr. 
Wesley  complied. 

This  strong  desire  for  a  union  with  all  the 
evangelical  clergy  was  frequently  expressed, 
and  sometimes  proposed  in  direct  terms,  but 
was  uniformly  rejected  by  most  of  them,  the 
causes  of  which  it  is  not  necessary  nor  expedient 
now  to  trace.  In  Wesley's  sermon,  entitled 
**  Catholic  Spirit/'  he  expatiates  more  largely 
upon  this  topic,  showing  that  a  difference  of 
opinion  on  some  speculative  points  of  minor  im- 
portance need  not  hinder  that  union  which  re- 
sults from  Divine  love.     He  says : — 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  139 

"  But  although  difference  of  opinion  or  modes  of  wor- 
ship may  prevent  an  entire  extenial  union,  yet  need  it 
prevent  our  union  in  affection  ?  Though  we  cannot 
think  alike,  may  we  not  love  alike  ?  May  we  not  he  of 
one  heart,  though  we  may  not  be  of  one  opinion  ? 
Without  all  doubt  we  may.  Herein  all  the  children  of 
God  may  unite,  notwithstanding  their  smaller  differ- 
ences. These  remaining  as  they  are,  they  may  forward 
one  another  in  love  and  in  good  works." 

These  sentiments  embody,  so  far  as  I  un- 
derstand them,  the  principles  which  lie  at  the 
foundation  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  and  are 
to  govern  its  members  and  friends  in  their  in- 
tercourse one  with  another.  Mr.  Wesley  did 
not  ask  those  who  differed  from  him  in  opinion 
on  some  speculative  points  of  doctrine,  modes 
of  worship,  or  forms  of  church  government,  to 
sacrifice  any  of  their  peculiarities  in  order  to 
form  the  union  which  he  desired  ;  provided  they 
held  to  the  Divine  Head  of  the  Church,  be- 
lieved in  his  sacrificial  death,  the  necessity  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  enlighten  and  convict  the  sin- 
ner of  his  sinfulness,  to  enable  him  to  repent,  to 
beheve  in  Jesus  Christ  ''with  a  heart  unto 
righteousness,"  and  actually  enjoyed  the  love  of 
God  and  man  in  the  heart,  he  was  not  barely 
willing,  but  intensely  desirous  to  unite  with 
them  in  extending  the  Redeemer's  kingdom 
among  mankind. 


140  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 

And  are  not  these  the  principles  on  which  the 
Evangelical  Alliance  is  founded  ?  Hence  Pres- 
byterians, Congregationalists,  Protestant  Epis- 
copalians, Lutherans,  Baptists,  Methodist  Epis- 
copalians, have  agreed  to  sacrifice  their  respec- 
tive peculiarities,  to  forego  their  sectarian  par- 
tialities, without  at  the  same  time  abjuring  any 
part  of  their  creeds,  or  altering  their  modes  of 
worship,  or  abrogating  any  part  of  their  church 
order  or  government,  and  unite  on  the  broad 
basis  of  God's  universal  good-will  to  man,  and 
in  the  sweet  principle  of  brotherly  affection  : 
and  though  each  may  preach  his  own  peculiar 
doctrine,  and  beheve  and  practise  according  to 
his  views  of  Gospel  order  and  ordinances,  he 
may  nevertheless  recognize  in  his  brother  of 
another  denomination  a  servant  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  engaged  in  the  common  cause  of 
man's  salvation ;  and  they  may  strive  together 
for  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  and  to  "  keep  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace."  And 
as  I  have  before  said,  if  no  formal  alliance  shall 
be  permanently  established,  the  effort  that  has 
been  put  forth,  and  the  exertions  which  are  now 
making  to  diffuse  these  catholic  principles,  and 
to  stretch  this  bond  of  union  around  all  loving 
hearts,  have  had,  and  still  exercise  a  most  salu- 
tary effect  on  the  views,  the  hearts,  and  the 


THE   AUTHORS  VIEWS.  141 

lives  of  all  evangelical  Christians  who  come 
within  the  range  of  this  benign  and  heavenly- 
principle. 

I  trust  my  readers  will  bear  with  me  for  in- 
troducing myself  so  frequently  in  these  pieces, 
and  attribute  it  to  the  right  motive,  as  it  seems 
to  me  necessaiy  to  illustrate  my  views,  and  show 
the  consistency  of  my  conduct.  I  have  been  a 
man  of  war  almost  all  my  days.  I  have  fought 
the  Christ-mus — the  reader  will  put  the  empha- 
tic accent  on  the  first  syllable,  as  the  word  de- 
signates a  sect  nearly  allied  to  the  Arians — the 
Hopkinsians,  Calvinists,  and  Protestant  Episco- 
palians ;  or  rather  have  striven  to  defend  the 
Methodists  when  they  have  been  assailed  by 
either  of  these  denominations ;  but  in  doing  this 
I  have  been  generally  careful  to  distinguish  be- 
tween what  I  considered  the  errors  which  I  felt 
it  my  duty  to  combat,  and  the  persons  and 
Christian  character  of  my  antagonists ;  that 
while  I  would  give  no  countenance  to  the  for- 
mer, I  could  fellowship  the  latter,  provided  only 
that  their  experience  and  life  were  in  conformity 
to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  though  I 
will  not  attempt  to  justify  every  expression  I 
may  have  used,  yet  upon  a  review  of  my  life 
and  writings,  I  can  reflect  with  unspeakable 
satisfaction  upon  the  motives  with  which  I  have 


142  C'HillSTIAN   UKION. 

been  actuated,  and  humbly  adore  the  "  God  of 
all  grace"  for  preserving  me  from  indulging  in 
any  bitterness  of  spirit,  or  from  feeling  any- 
other  than  love  and  good-will  to  my  antago- 
nists. For  my  numerous  infirmities  I  have  rea- 
son to  be  deeply  humbled  before  God  and  man, 
and  need  continually  the  atoning  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  render  either  my  person  or  works  ac- 
ceptable in  the  sight  of  God.  I  thmk,  under  the 
like  circumstances,  I  should  do  the  same  again, 
notwithstanding  my  love  of  Christian  imion. 

These  remarks  have  been  made  for  the  pur- 
pose of  introducing  the  following  facts  in  respect 
to  what  I  have  done  and  written  on  the  subject 
under  consideration.  In  1815  or  1816  I  wrote 
a  piece  on  Christian  union  among  the  different 
denominations,  which  was  published  in  the 
Commercial  Advertiser  of  this  city,  under  an 
anonymous  signature,  embracing  nearly  the  same 
principles  as  those  embodied  in  the  Evangelical 
Alliance.  I  saw  soon  after  extracts  from  that 
piece  in  several  papers,  accompanied  with  com- 
ments favourable  to  the  sentiments  therein  ex- 
pressed ;  and  the  subject  continued  to  be  agi- 
tated until  finally  a  small  volume  was  published 
on  the  subject  of  Christian  union,  which  doubtless 
led  ultimately  to  the  formation  of  the  Alliance. 

While  editor  of  the  Christian  Advocate  and 


ITS  NECESSARY  BASIS.  143 

Journal,  I  think  about  the  year  1830,  I  wrote 
an  article  on  the  same  subject,  which  was  copied 
into  a  religious  paper  in  London,  came  back  to 
New- York,  was  republished,  I  believe,  in  the 
Religious  Intelligencer,  and  its  credit  given  to 
the  English  paper.  This  error  I  corrected  at 
the  time,  giving  the  true  paternity  of  the  article. 
It  is  certainly  matter  of  rejoicing  to  behold 
the  different  sects  of  evangelical  Christians  lay- 
ing aside  their  warlike  character,  so  far  as  de- 
nouncing each  other  merely  on  account  of  dis- 
sentient views  of  minor  importance  are  con- 
cerned, and  agreeing  to  unite  their  influence  to 
push  forward  the  great  principles  of  Divine 
truth,  to  the  utmost  extent  of  their  strenorth,  to 
the  utmost  bounds  of  the  earth.  To  do  this 
effectually,  there  must  be  a  union  of  heart,  such 
a  union  as  can  be  cemented  only  by  the  "  love 
of  God  being  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  A  union  established  merely  upon 
certain  leading  principles,  however  true  those 
principles  are,  will  have  no  lasting  effect.  The 
heart  must  be  imbued  with  holy  love,  which 
alone  can  beget  a  pure  motive,  and  form  the 
*'  single  eye,"  the  oneness  of  desire  to  promote 
the  glory  of  God,  among  all  those  who  Avould 
come  into  this  union,  or  they  never  can  work 
together  for  the  faith  of  the  Gospel.     Oil  and 


144  CHRISTIAN   UMON. 

water  can  as  soon  unite  as  an  unconverted  man 
can  unite  with  a  truly  converted  man.  "  Make 
the  tree  good,  and  the  fruit  will  be  good  also." 
The  heart  must  therefore  be  changed  by  the  in- 
ternal energies  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  applying  the 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  which  sin  is  washed 
away,  and  the  soul  is  cleansed  "  from  all  filthi- 
ness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,"  in  order  to  qualify 
a  man  to  enter  into  that  holy  fraternity  in  which 
he  can  work  successfully  for  the  conversion  of 
the  world.  This,  and  this  alone,  breaks  down 
that  supreme  love  of  self  by  which  all  fallen 
men  are  distinguished,  and  which,  so  long  as  it 
predominates,  prompts  them  to  seek  their  own 
selfish  ends,  their  own  fame,  riches,  ease,  self- 
aggrandizement,  whatever  may  become  of  their 
neighbour  ;  and  so  long  as  this  selfish  principle 
reigns  in  the  heart,  and  thereby  becomes  a  mo- 
tive to  action,  the  man  can  never  unite  to  pro- 
mote any  object  that  has  not  this  same  selfish 
end  in  view.  And  how  diametrically  opposite 
is  this  from  the  principle  that  actuates  the  holy 
Christian  !  He  strives  in  all  his  words  and  ac- 
tions to  promote  "  peace  on  earth  and  good- 
will to  men."  Hence  he  is  ready  to  unite  his 
energies,  to  devote  his  time  and  substance,  with 
all  those  of  a  kindred  spirit,  to  advance  the  cause 
of  Jesus  Christ  amons:  men. 


GREAT  REFORMATION.  145 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

A  great  reformation  has  been  effected— So  notorious  that  it  is 
useless  to  contend  with  those  that  deny  it — Former  opposition 
to  Methodism — Its  causes — Pulpit  and  press  against  it — How 
met  and  removed— Southey's  Life  of  Wesley  contributed  to 
make  him  better  known — Wesley's  Works  published  and  read— 
These  seemed  to  remove  prejudice,  as  they  were  read  by  other 
denominations— Clarke's  Commentary  was  published— Exa- 
mined by  other  denominations — His  learning  and  piety  con- 
ceded—Its good  effects— The  hand  of  God  shown  in  all  these 
things. 

We  have  seen  the  influence  which  Methodism 
has  exerted  on  the  rehgious  world,  in  producing 
those  exertions  in  the  missionary,  tract,  Sunday- 
school,  and  temperance  cause,  which  have  been 
beheld  with  exquisite  delight  by  every  pious 
mind,  as  well  as  in  attracting  towards  each  other 
all  those  whose  hearts  have  been  electrified  by 
the  fire  of  Divine  love,  which  has  been  exempli- 
fied in  uniting  these  together  in  extending  the 
kingdom  of  "  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost." 

That  a  mighty  reformation  has  been  wrought 
in  these  respects,  less  or  more,  among  all  de- 
nominations of  Protestants,  none  competent  to 
judge  will  attempt  to  deny.  But  should  any 
one  interpose  his  .negation  to  this  fact,  I  have 
nothing  to  say  to  him ;  for  he  that  can  summon 
10 


146  METHODISM  OPPOSED. 

up  courage  enough  to  question  its  truth,  will, 
with  equal  pertinacity,  and  imbecile  ignorance, 
deny  any  fact,  however  notorious,  which  stands 
on  the  records  of  history  ;  and  to  undertake  to 
answer  such  a  *'  fool  according  to  his  folly " 
would  be  as  great  a  waste  of  time  and  strength 
ns  it  would  be  to  attempt  to  silence  the  clamour 
of  him  who  betrays  his  vanity  and  petulance  by 
"answering  a  matter  before  he  heareth  it;" 
cither  of  whom  may  well  be  left  to  himself,  as 
being  "  wiser  in  his  o\^ti  conceit  than  seven  men 
that  can  render  a  reason." 

To  those,  however,  who  are  dispassionate 
enough  to  judge  impartially,  and  who  have  not 
committed  themselves  to  an  opposite  theory,  I  will 
submit  i\  few  evidences  of  the  fact  in  question. 

The  entire  history  of  Methodism  will  show 
that  in  its  commencement,  and  its  onward  pro- 
gress, until  within  a  few  years,  it  was  violently 
opposed,  by  profane  wit,  by  obscene  sarcasm, 
sometimes,  indeed,  by  sober  argument,  but  much 
oftener  by  ridiculous  caricatures,  by  all  deno- 
minations, with  but  few  exceptions,  Papists  and 
Protestants.  Much  of  this  opposition  originated 
from  ignorance — ignorance  of  the  doctrines  we 
taught,  of  our  motives  and  manner  of  life — 
while  its  great  moving  cause  was  that  hatred 
found  in  every  unrenewed  heart  to  the  pure 


CAUSE   OF  THE   OPPOSITION.  147 

doctrines  of  Christ,  and  especially  to  that  great 
and  leading  truth  of  Di\ine  revelation,  justifica- 
tion hy  grace,  through  faith  in  the  atoning  merits 
of  the  Saviour  of  tlie  loorld,  and  sanctification 
through  the  same  medium.  This  grand  doctrine 
struck  at  the  root  of  all  sin,  namely,  unbelief. 
It  proposed  to  tear  up,  root  and  branch,  that 
infidelity  of  the  heart  which  impels  men — not 
to  reject  Divine  revelation,  for  the  devil  himself 
cares  not  how  many  of  his  subjects  thus  em- 
brace the  truth  of  revealed  religion,  but — to 
reject  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  an  almighty 
Saviour,  as  a  present  Saviour,  as  now  able  and 
willing  to  *'  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come 
unto  God  by  him."  This  cardinal  truth  of  God 
the  Methodists  insisted  upon  with  peculiar  ve- 
hemence, and  preached  it  because  they  pro- 
fessed to  have  an  experimental  knowledge  of  it 
in  their  own  hearts.  To  maintain  and  to  propa- 
gate this  vital  truth,  and  its  con-elatives,  "  love, 
peace,  gentleness,  goodness,  joy,  long-suffering, 
temperance,"  including  external  obedience  to 
the  commands  of  God,  they  sacrificed  ease  and 
worldly  honours,  went  out  "into  the  highways 
and  hedges,"  persevered  ** through  good  and 
evil  report,"  not  counting  their  "  lives  dear  unto 
themselves,  if  they  could  win  Christ,  and  be 
found  in  him,  not  having  their  own  righteous- 


148  METHODISM   OPPOSED. 

ness  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 
through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness 
which  is  of  God  by  faith."  In  proclaiming  this 
truth,  urging  it  upon  the  people  everywhere  as 
a  subject  of  personal  experience,  the  evidence 
of  which  might,  therefore,  be  tested  by  every 
believer's  conscience — for  they  taught  most  dis- 
tinctly and  explicitly  that  the  "  Spirit  beareth 
witness  with  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God" — they  met,  as  I  have  before  said,  with 
violent  opposition,  not  only  from  the  ignorant 
rabble,  but  from  "priests  and  Levites."  The 
pulpits  rang  with  fearful  warnings  against  the 
dangerous  heresies  of  these  wild  and  ignorant 
fanatics,  those  "wolves  in  sheep's  clothing,"  as 
they  were  contemptuously  called,  "  who  would 
deceive,  if  it  were  possible,  the  very  elect." 

Not  only  the  pulpit,  but  the  press,  was  made 
to  groan  under  the  burden  of  the  heavy  com- 
plaints uttered  against  us.  The  pamphlet  and 
the  newspaper  combined  to  blacken  our  charac- 
ter, to  propagate  the  news  of  our  heresies,  and 
to  render  us  odious  in  the  public  estimation.  In 
the  midst  of  all  this  opposition  and  obloquy,  we 
held  on  our  way,  continued  to  preach  the 
"  same  thing,  and  to  mind  the  same  rule." 
Some  of  the  objections  were  answered.  Tliese 
answers  were  published.     Our  books  were  mul- 


IT  GAINS   GROUND.  149 

tiplied,  and  at  length  we  seized  hold  of  the  pe- 
riodical press,  and  this  spoke  out  plainly  and 
fearlessly,  repelling  the  onsets  of  our  antagonists, 
and  stating  our  doctrines  as  they  are,  without 
reservation  or  disguise.  This  had  the  desired 
efifect.  The  ignorant  were  enlightened,  so  that 
they  could  understand  what  Wesleyan  Metho- 
dism is,  and,  when  thus  understood,  it  did  not 
appear  like  that  frightful  monster  they  had  been 
taught  to  believe  it  to  be.  Wesley's  Works 
were  published.  His  Journals,  Sermons,  Doc- 
trinal Tracts,  and  miscellaneous  pieces,  were 
read  by  ministers  of  other  denominations ;  and 
though  they  did  not  agree  with  him  in  all  things, 
they  formed  a  favourable  opinion  of  his  piety, 
began  to  rehsh  his  evangelical  principles,  and 
Avere  struck  with  admiration  at  the  immensity 
of  his  labours,  and  the  wisdom  of  his  plans. 

Indeed,  God  seemed  to  make  even  the  luke- 
warm and  mistaken  friends  of  Wesley  contri- 
bute to  exalt  his  worth.  Southey  may  be  con- 
sidered as  such ;  for  I  do  not  believe  that  he 
really  meant  to  blacken  his  character.  Being- 
ignorant  of  that  principle  of  Divine  love  by  which 
Wesley  was  actuated,  he,  of  course,  could  not 
understand  the  holy  motive  which  guided  all 
his  actions,  and,  probably  judging  others  by 
himself,  he  attributed  to  Wesley  an  imholy  am- 


160  METHODISM  OPPOSED. 

bition  to  which  he  was  an  utter  stranger.  This 
led  him  to  confound  pure  rehgion  with  enthu- 
siasm, and,  in  fact,  to  caricature  it.  But  he 
published  the  life  of  Wesley.  His  fame  as  a 
writer  induced  thousands  to  read  it  who  had 
known  nothing  more  of  Wesley  than  what  com- 
mon report  had  told  them.  And  even  looking 
at  him  through  this  perverted  medium,  they 
perceived  excellences  which  won  their  admira- 
tion. Their  attention  and  curiosity  were  roused 
to  look  deeper  into  the  subject;  and  the  more 
accurately  they  searched,  the  more  were  they 
convinced  of  their  former  erroneous  views  of 
Wesley's  doctrine,  character,  and  modes  of  ope- 
ration. In  many  instances  their  prejudices  yielded 
to  the  force  of  truth,  and  were  succeeded  by  a 
candid  acknowledgment  of  the  power  of  that 
genuine  piety  which  dwelt  in  the  heart,  and 
was  exemplified  in  the  life,  of  Wesley. 

Tims,  through  the  misguided  judgment  of 
man,  the  wisdom  of  God  shone  out,  and  "  turned 
the  counsel  of  Ahithophel  into  foolishness," 
causing  even  the  erring  pen  of  Southey  to  por- 
tray the  character  of  Wesley  in  such  a  light  that 
its  excellences  shone  all  its  imaginary  deformities 
into  darkness.  Tliis,  indeed,  was  the  fate,  not 
only  of  the  efforts  of  his  mistaken  friends,  who 
misunderstood  his  character,  and  therefore  placed 


CLARKE'S   COMMENTARr.  151 

it  in  a  false  position  ;  but  also  of  his  avowed  ene- 
mies, who  designedly  aspersed  him,  caricatured 
his  theological  sentiments,  and  vilified  his  mo- 
tives and  conduct ;  for  his  defences,  whether 
written  by  himself  or  his  friends,  triumphantly 
vindicated  him  against  all  defamers. 

Other  circumstances  contributed  to  the  same 
result.  Clarke's  Commentary  was  pubhshed. 
His  fame  as  a  scholar  had  preceded  his  Com- 
mentary on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  When 
the  Prospectus  was  issued  for  its  publication  in 
this  country,  in  1810,  Dr.  John  Mason  was  re- 
quested to  become  its  Editor.  He  replied,  that 
he  would  do  it  from  respect  to  its  author,  hav- 
ing formed  an  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Adam 
Clarke  in  London,  and  therefore  highly  esteemed 
him  as  a  man  of  profound  learning  and  deep 
piety.  This  Commentary  was  subscribed  for  by 
ministers  and  others  of  different  denominations, 
and  I  was  told  that  several  copies  of  it  were 
taken  at  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Andover, 
in  Massachusetts.  How  far  this,  and  other  oc- 
currences, might  have  contributed  to  modify  the 
divinity  taught  in  New-England,  I  presume  not 
to  say  ;  but  that  it  has  undergone  a  very  con- 
siderable modification  within  a  few  years  past, 
is  evident  to  every  person  at  all  acquainted  with 
the  history  of  the  Congregational  and  Presbyte- 


152  METHODISM  OPPOSED. 

rian  Churches  ;  so  much  so,  as  to  split  the  latter 
into  two  parts,  denominated  the  Old  School  and 
New  School  Presbyterians. 

These,  and  other  kindred  pubheations,  tended 
to  make  the  Methodists  better  known;  and 
though  some  of  the  doctrines  set  forth  were 
sharply  controverted  by  some,  yet  this  fact  is 
an  evidence  that  they  were  read ;  and  the  very 
controversy  itself  contributed  to  make  them 
more  extensively  known,  and  the  more  exten- 
sively they  were  known,  the  more  highly  they 
were  appreciated  ;  for  the  writers  above  alluded 
to  were  no  novices  in  literature  and  theological 
knowledge ;  but  some  of  them  were  thorough 
scholars,  deeply  read  in  the  sacred  Scriptures, 
and  could  therefore  "  bring  from  their  treasury 
things  new  and  old."  Dr.  Clarke,  especially, 
-was  acknowledged  on  all  sides  to  be  a  man  of 
thorough  and  extensive  learning,  of  sohd  piety, 
of  high  classical  and  scientific  attainments ;  and 
though  some  aflfected  to  treat  him  with  contempt 
on  account  of  his  peculiarities,  and  others  strongly 
opposed  him  on  those  points  on  which  he  dis- 
sented from  high-toned  Calvinism,  yet  all  were 
convinced  that  he  was  a  commentator  of  emi- 
nent acquirements,  of  indefatigable  industry,  and 
thoroughly  versed  in  Biblical  literature.  What 
renders  his  Commentary  doubly  valuable,  in  my 


CLARKE'S   COMMENTARY.  153 

estimation,  is,  in  addition  to  his  able  criticisms 
upon  the  original  text,  and  his  learned  labours 
in  philosophical,  astronomical,  and  chronologi- 
cal researches,  interspersed  throughout  his 
work,  the  deep  vein  of  experimental  and  prac- 
tical piety  which  runs  through  the  whole,  and 
gives  thereby  a  sanctified  aspect  to  the  entire 
volumes.  A  work  of  this  character  could  not 
do  otherwise  than  produce  a  salutary  effect,  just 
as  extensively  as  it  was  read  and  heeded.  That 
it  was  extensively  read  we  know,  and  that  it 
was  even  critically  examined  by  some,  is  demon- 
strated from  the  fruitless  efforts  made  to  over- 
turn some  of  his  positions  ;  and,  perhaps,  there 
are  those  who  are  much  indebted  to  him  for 
light  and  information,  who  are  unwilling  to  ac- 
knowledge the  source  whence  they  derived  their 
knowledge.  Be  this  as  it  may,  Dr.  Clarke's 
writings  contributed  to\enlighten  the  Christian 
world  on  the  subject  of  Wesleyan  Methodism — 
for  he  was  thoroughly  Wesleyan  in  all  his  dis- 
tinctive features — and  thus  to  remove  the  un- 
founded prejudice  which  had  been  engendered 
against  it  by  those  who  either  misunderstood 
its  character,  or  wilfully  maligned  it,  from  self- 
ish or  bigoted  motives.* 

-  I  must  not  be  understood,  from  the  above  remarks,  as 
endorsing  all  that  Dr.  Claike  has  said,  nor  as  acq^uiescing 


164  CLOSING   REMARKS. 

How  far  these,  and  other  causes,  which  were 
at  work,  have  tended  to  eftect  a  change  for  the 
better  in  the  rehgious  community,  must  be  re- 
served for  a  future  chapter.  In  closing  this, 
allow  me  to  say,  that  I  have  not  adverted  to  the 
above  facts  with  a  view  to  exalt  Methodism  as 
such,  but  simply  to  show  the  hand  of  God  in  so 
directing  the  course  of  events,  as  to  make  even 
"  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him,"  while  "  the 
remainder"  of  wrath  he  will  restrain;  for  Me- 
thodism, simply  considered  as  an  is7n  of  human 
contrivance,  is  of  no  more  account  than  any 
other  is7n  of  the  same  origin ;  but  it  is  because 
I  believe  it  to  be,  in  its  origin  and  progress,  the 
work  of  God,  that  I  hail  it  as  a  messenger  of 
*' good- will  to  men." 

in  all  his  criticisms  :  though  I  think  it  highly  becomes  me 
to  say,  that  when  I  find  myself  induced  to  dissent  from  such 
men  as  "VVesley  and  Clarke,  I.  generally  pause,  review  my 
ground,  and  deliberate  long  and  prayerfully  before  I  make 
up  a  decisive  judgment.  Those  whose  fertile  imagination 
and  expanded  understanding  may  enable  them  to  decide 
upon  every  subject  presented  to  them,  without  any  painful 
thought,  may  dispense  with  this  sober  deliberation,  and, 
bringing  the  previous  question  to  their  aid,  may  despatch 
the  business  with  but  a  moment's  reflection.  For  my  own 
part,  I  profess  no  such  intuitive  knowledge,  and  therefore 
think  best  to  search,  review,  revise ;  and  more  especiaUy 
when  I  find  myself  in  opposition  to  those  giants  in  litera- 
tme  and  science,  of  tlicological  knowledge  and  experience, 
i\h>j  have  iiTudiated  the  world  by  theii*  light. 


THE  SOURCE   OF   GOOD.  155 

If  any  are  disposed  to  dispute  this  fact,  namely, 
that  Methodism  was  raised  up,  and  has  been 
thus  far  sustained  by  the  good  hand  of  God, 
and  therefore  is  eminently  his  work ;  I  hereby 
notify  all  such,  that  I  am  prepared  to  prove,  by 
undeniable  facts  and  irrefutable  arguments,  that 
it  is  so,  though  by  no  means  exclusively  so. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

God  the  original  cause  of  all  good— At  the  time  Methodism 
pure  religion  at  a  low  ebb — It  was  hence  violently  opposed — 
The  objections  met  and  obviated— How— The  cause  steadily 
advanced— The  doctrine  of  sanctification  avowed — It  spread 
among  other  denominations — Mahan  and  Upham  advocate  it 
with  ability — The  blessed  effects  of  this — The  opposition  in  a 
great  measure  ceases— All  evangelical  ministers  are  uniting—  ' 
The  names  of  several  mentioned — Methodism  contributed  to 
this — The  author  disclaims  bigotry— Confirms  his  love  to  all 
sincere  Christians. 

In  the  former  chapter  we  have  examined  certain 
causes  by  which  Methodism  has  exerted  a  salutary 
influence  upon  the  Christian  community.  These 
causes,  however,  considered  in  connexion  witli 
other  agencies,  are  but  effects, — as  all  secondary 
causes  are — produced  by  the  first  cause.  So 
Methodism,  with  all  its  adjuncts,  instrumentali- 
ties, or  means  of  operation,  is  but  an  effect  of 
that  grace  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  which 
wrought  mightily  in  the  heart  of  Wesley,  his 


156  INFLUENCE   OF  METHODISM. 

coadjutors  and  successors ;  and  this  grace  itself 
is  the  effect  of  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  which 
caused  him  to  die  for  the  world ;  and  the  death 
of  Christ,  with  the  whole  scheme  of  redemption 
and  salvation,  was  the  effect  of  God's  unbound- 
ed love  to  a  lost  world — *'  God  so  loved  the 
world  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  beheveth  on  him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life."  He,  therefore,  who 
accuses  me  of  dealing  in  trifles,  because  I  treat 
principally  upon  effects,  would  do  well  to  re- 
member, that  whatever  subject  is  under  investi- 
gation, considered  relatively  to  the  great  First 
Cause,  is  but  an  effect,  and  an  effect  dependent 
upon  an  antecedent  cause,  which  may  often  be 
too  recondite,  only  as  it  may  be  referable  to  the 
original  cause  of  all  things,  for  human  research 
to  decipher. 

But  without  contending  on  a  point  so  plain,  let 
us  inquire  into  the  influence  which  Methodism 
has  exerted  on  the  religious  world  in  respect  to 
experimental  and  practical  piety.  It  will  be  ac- 
knowledged on  all  hands,  I  believe,  that  at  the 
time  Methodism  arose,  pure  religion — experi- 
mental religion — the  relirrion  of  the  heart — that 
which  is  "  spread  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  was  at  a  very  low  ebb  among  all 
sects  and  denominations,  both  in  Europe  and 


SANCTIFICATION.  157 

America.  This  has  already  been  sufficiently- 
demonstrated  in  my  preceding  chapter.  Well, 
how  is  it  now  ?  Not  only  the  doctrine  of  the 
new  birth,  or  justification  and  its  inseparable  ac- 
companiment, regeneration,  but  that  of  sanctifi- 
cation,  has  gained  ground,  not  only  among 
ourselves — as  I  humbly  trust  it  has  of  late  years 
— but  among  other  denominations. 

It  is  well  known  that  this  doctrine  has  met 
with  more  violent  opposition  from  certain  quar- 
ters than  any  other  truth  preached  by  us.  To 
talk  about  being  made  "  perfect  in  love  "  in  this 
life,  to  be  made  **free  from  sin,  properly  so 
called,"  however  cautiously  guarded  and  mi- 
nutely explained,  was  considered,  by  most  deno- 
minations, as  among  the  wildest  of  fanaticism — as 
one  of  the  most  fatal  presumptions  that  could 
delude  the  minds  of  mortals.  It  was  in  vain 
that  we  appealed  to  the  sacred  Scriptures,  both 
of  the  old  and  New  Testament,  and  to  the  ex- 
perience and  prayers  of  God's  people  in  every 
age  of  the  Church,  for  the  truth  of  this  doctrine. 
It  was  opposed,  and  treated  with  contempt  by 
all  orders  of  Christians,  and,  I  would  charitably 
hope,  chiefly  because  it  was  misunderstood  by 
most  of  those  who  so  violently  opposed  it. 

To  the  objections  that  were  seriously  made,  we 
answered.    We  produced  proofs  from  Scripture 


158  INFLUENCE  OF  METHODISM. 

which  declare,  that  "  If  the  Son  make  you  free, 
you  shall  be  free  indeed."  "Likewise  reckon 
ye  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but 
alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 
"  What  shall  we  say,  then  ?  Shall  we  live  in 
sin  that  grace  may  abound  ?  God  forbid.  How 
shall  we  that  are  dead  to  sin  live  any  longer 
therein?"  These  and  the  like  texts  of  sacred 
Scripture  were  quoted  and  explained  in  confor- 
mity to  Wesley's  view  of  the  doctrine,  and  quo^ 
tations  were  made  from  his  writings  on  this 
subject ;  his  **  Plain  Account  of  Christian  Per- 
fection "  was  printed  in  a  tract,  and  extensively 
circulated,  in  which  he  states  the  doctrine  clearly, 
defining  his  meaning  accurately,  obviating  objec- 
tions, and  showing  the  distinction  between  sin, 
properly  so  called,  and  those  infirmities  insepa- 
rable from  human  nature.  The  luminous  writ- 
ings of  Fletcher  were  also  widely  cu'culated, 
and  more  especially  those  parts  which  treat 
upon  this  branch  of  Christian  experience  and 
practice.  Others  wrote,  and  in  addition  to  ar- 
guments drawn  from  Scripture  and  reason,  con- 
firmed the  truth  by  relating  their  own  experience. 
A  periodical,  called  a  "  Guide  to  Holiness,"  was 
and  is  pubhshed  in  Boston,  Mass.,  in  which  va- 
rious writers  plead  the  cause  of  entire  sanctifica- 
tion  to  God,  while  many  relate  their  experience 


MAHAN   AND  UPHAM.  159 

of  this  great  blessing.  All  these  are  so  many 
streams  issuing  from  the  same  fountain  of  Divine 
love,  and  flow  forth  to  water  Immanuel's  land. 

Nor  have  they  lost  themselves  in  the  barren 
desert,  or  been  absorbed  in  the  sands  of  formal- 
ism, or  yet  confined  their  refreshing  influences  to 
our  own  enclosures.  They  have,  in  fact,  over- 
flowed the  banks  thro^vn  around  our  own  fields, 
and  have  watered  the  fields  of  our  neighbours. 
As  an  evidence  of  this,  I  may  mention  the  writ- 
ings of  President  Mahan,  of  the  Oberlin  Insti- 
tute, whose  treatise  upon  this  subject,  in  which 
he  relates  his  own  experience,  clearly  demon- 
strates his  altered  views  in  the  right  direction, 
and  proves  him  to  be  a  holy  minister  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  an  able  advocate  of  the  doctrine 
of  Christian  perfection.  I  should  be  ashamed 
to  contend  with  him  on  account  of  some  discre- 
pancies between  us  of  minor  importance,  so  long 
as  he  holds  fast,  as  I  think  he  does,  to  the  fun- 
damental parts  of  Christian  holiness,  and  recom- 
mends it  as  a  subject  of  personal,  heartfelt, 
conscious  experience. 

Professor  Upham,  also,  whose  writings  in  the 
department  of  Mental  Philosophy  have  won  for 
him  a  wide  reputation,  as  an  able  and  acute 
metaphysician,  clothing  his  thoughts  in  language 
of  classical  elegance  and  chaste  simplicity,  has 


160  INFLUENCE   OF  METHODISM. 

dedicated  his  pen  to  this  important  subject,  a 
subject  of  all  others  the  most  important  to  the 
best  interests,  present  and  eternal,  of  mankind. 
I  have  read  his  treatises  with  unmixed  delight ; 
and  although  I  might  not  agree  with  him  in  all 
his  phraseology,  yet  he  certainly  accords  with 
the  Methodists  in  all  the  leading  particulars 
which  go  to  make  up  the  essence  of  the  interior 
hfe,  the  life  of  faith,  and  the  entire  sanctification 
of  the  soul.  And  certainly  he  has  the  same 
right  to  select  his  own  phraseology,  provided  he 
keeps  to  the  Scripture  standard,  as  I  believe  he 
does,  as  I  have  to  adopt  my  own. 

I  cannot  but  consider  the  acquisition  of  such 
a  man  from  another  denomination,  so  widely 
known  as  a  writer  on  metaphysics,  so  deeply 
read  in  the  human  heart,  and  in  whose  integrity 
all  have  the  utmost  confidence,  as  **  great  gain  '* 
to  the  cause  of  truth  and  holiness. 

How  many  converts  these  two  eminent  men 
may  have  made  I  cannot  tell.  But  they  doubt- 
less have  exerted  a  powerful  influence  among 
their  respective  readers,  and  many  would  beheve 
them  whose  sectarian  prejudices  would  not  al- 
low them  to  listen  to  a  Methodist  writer.  And 
it  matters  but  little  by  what  insti-umentalities 
converts  are  made,  so  that  they  are  converted 
to  **  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 


REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION.  161 

These  facts  prove  most  incontestably  that  ex- 
perimental rehgion,  in  its  deepest  and  most  holy- 
form,  is  on  the  advance  among  other  denomina- 
tions of  Christians.  I  do  not  say  that  this  doc- 
trine of  entire  sanctification  is  generally  received 
and  taught  by  other  churches.  All  I  wish  to  inti- 
mate is,  that  it  has  attracted  the  attention  of  some 
eminent  writers,  who  have  heartily  embraced  it, 
and  have,  accordingly,  recommended  it  to  their 
readers,  with  all  the  ardour  of  sincere  believers, 
and  all  the  ability  of  acute  and  profound  theologi- 
ans ;  and  that  thus  an  entrance  has  been  made  into 
the  citadel  of  prejudice,  so  that  we  may  hope 
that  it  will  ere  long  yield  to  the  force  of  truth 
— truth  plied  by  the  hands  of  such  men  as 
Mahan  and  Upham,  and  others  engaged  in  the 
same  holy  warfare. 

But,  though  this  grand  doctrine  of  the  Gospel 
is  formally  embraced  by  comparatively  few  of 
other  denominations,  yet  it  is  evident  as  any  de- 
monstration in  Euclid,  that  experimental  religion, 
in  the  common  acceptation  of  these  words,  has 
revived,  less  or  more,  among  almost  all  orders 
and  denominations  of  professed  Christians.  Time 
was,  and  that  not  long  since,  when  the  doctrine 
of  the  new  birth,  with  the  knowledge  of  forgive- 
ness of  sins,  the  witness  and  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
was  ridiculed  by  many  Protestant  ministers  as  a 
11 


162  INFLUENCE   OF  METHODISM. 

groundless  fancy,  having  its  seat  in  a  heated 
imagination,  and  as  only  fit  to  delude  ignorant 
fanatics,  or  to  lead  "  silly  women  astray,  laden 
with  their  sins."  There  were,  to  be  sure, 
always  some  honourable  exceptions  to  this  heavy 
censure,  but  the  generality  were  leagued  against 
what  now  are  popularly  called  "revivals  of 
religion." 

How  is  it  now  ?  Though  there  may  be  some 
who  do  not  heartily  embrace  the  doctrine  above 
designated,  and  do  not,  therefore,  zealously  ad- 
vocate religious  revivals,  very  few,  comparatively, 
will  risk  their  reputation  as  Christian  ministers 
by  openly  opposing  them ;  while  the  great  pro- 
portion, indeed  all  who  may  be  rightly  called 
evangehcal,  preach  and  pray  for  the  revival  and 
spread  of  inward  and  outward  piety.  I  could 
mention  a  number  of  distinguished  ministers, 
both  in  Europe  and  America,  both  in  the  island 
of  Great  Britain  and  on  the  Continent,  in  the 
Established  Church'  of  England  and  among  the 
dissenters,  in  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  and 
among  the  Protestants  of  France  and  Germany, 
as  well  as  among  the  Protestant  Episcopalians, 
Presbyterians,  Dutch  Reformed,  and  the  Con- 
gregationalists,  in  this  countiy,  who  are  zeal- 
ously engaged  for  the  promotion  of  experimental 
and  practical  piety,  some  of  whom  are  adopting 


PIOUS  MEN.  163 

every  means  within  their  grasp  for  its  revival 
and  diffusion,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  It 
might  seem  invidious  to  single  out  individuals  as 
belonging  to  this  class  of  evangelical  ministers, 
but  I  can  hardly  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of 
mentioning  a  few  of  the  most  distinguished  of 
their  respective  denominations,  such  as  Baptist 
Noel,  lately  of  the  English  Church  ;  Bickersteth, 
of  the  same  Church;  Monod,  of  France;  Tholuck, 
of  Germany  ;  D'Aubigne,  of  Geneva ;  Wardlaw 
and  Anderson,  of  Scotland;*  James  and  Jay 
among  the  dissenters  of  England ;  M'llvaine  and 
Potter,  Bishops  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States ;  Tyng,  of  the  same 
Church ;  Spring  and  Baird,  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church;  De  Witt,  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  ;  Stuart  and  Cheever,  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Chmxh,  and  Cone,  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
These  all,  and  how  many  others  I  cannot  tell, 
agree  in  urging  upon  mankind  the  necessity  of 
inward,  experimental  religion. 

It  must  not  be  understood  that  I  suppose  that 
all  these  agree  with  us  in  many   particulars, 

'  The  late  Dr.  Chalmers  exerted  a  powerful  influence  in 
favour  of  experimental  religion  while  he  lived,  and  his 
works  are  speaking  for  him  since  his  death.  His  eulogy  of 
Methodism — that  is,  ♦•Christianity  in  earnest," — has  been 
often  quoted. 


164  INFLUENCE   OF  METHODISM. 

which  are  considered  of  great  importance,  and 
about  which  we  may  innocently  dispute ;  nor 
that  they  agree  among  themselves  concerning 
certain  rites  and  ceremonies,  or  on  some  specu- 
lative points  of  doctrine  and  church  order ;  all 
I  contend  for  is,  that  these,  and  others  of  a  like 
sphit,  will  agree  to  disagree  on  those  points  re- 
specting which  they  cannot  think  and  believe 
alike,  while  they  are  prepared  to  "  contend  ear- 
nestly for  the  faith  once  dehvered  to  the  saints,'* 
as  it  regards  the  fall  of  man,  the  necessity  of 
repentance,  of  faith  in  Christ,  justification 
through  the  blood  of  Christ,  regeneration  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  necessity  of  furnishing 
an  evidence  of  the  reality  of  this  change  of 
heart  by  a  blameless  life  and  conversation. 

They  may  not  agree  with  us  in  our  definition 
of  the  new  birth,  nor  accord  to  our  phraseology 
concerning  the  direct  witness,  and  its  inseparable 
companion,  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit;  while  re- 
specting the  thing  itself,  the  reality  of  the  new 
birth,  or  justification  by  grace,  through  faith, 
and  regeneration,  and  that  this  is  uniformly  fol- 
lowed by  obedience  to  the  commands  of  God,  I 
apprehend  there  is  no  essential  or  material 
difi"erence ;  and  that  while  we  hail  them  as  eflS- 
cicnt  co-workers  in  the  Gospel  field,  they  will 
allow  that  we  are  so  far  orthodox  that  they  can 


BIGOTRY  DISCLAIMED.  165 

fellowship  us  as  co-labourers  in  the  same  field. 
And  if  we  are  indeed  in  possession  of  that  Di- 
vine love  which  is  *'  shed  abroad  in  the  heart 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  as  we  unquestionably  are 
if  we  are  truly  regenerated,  and  have  received 
the  "Spirit  of  adoption,  enabling  us  to  cry, 
Abba,  Father,"  though  we  may  dispute  on  mi- 
nor points,  we  shall  dispute  in  love,  not  betray- 
ing that  anger  which  stirs  up  strife,  but  exhibit- 
ing that  "  charity  which  is  not  easily  provoked, 
is  not  puffed  up,  but  is  kind,  thinketh  no  evil, 
beareth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things." 

Now,  that  Methodism  has  contributed  much 
to  bring  about  this  altered  state  of  things,  is 
what  I  most  conscientiously  and  most  fully  be- 
lieve, and  therefore  hope  I  may  not  be  accused 
of  narrow -hearted  bigotry  for  proclaiming  the 
fact.  At  my  time  of  life,  there  is  but  a  slender 
motive  for  the  indulgence  of  bigotry ;  and  if  at 
any  time  I  may  have  been  tinctured  with  it,  the 
knowledge  I  have  acquired  from  nearly  fifty 
years'  experience,  among  a  people  who  have  ex- 
hibited their  full  share  of  human  infirmities,  has 
had  a  great  tendency  to  do  it  away ;  while  the 
same  knowledge  enables  me  to  say,  with  equal 
sincerity,  that  the  great  majority,  both  preachers 
and  people,  have  been,  and  are  now,  striving  to 
establish  the  cause  of  pure  religion  on  the  earth. 


166  INFLUENCE  OF  METHODISM. 

Yet  if  any  contend  otherwise,  tliat  this  refoiina- 
tion  has  been  effected  independently  of  Metho- 
dism, and  by  other  instnimentahties,  I  will  not 
disturb  either  my  own  or  his  tranquillity  by  con- 
troverting the  point  with  him,  but  w^ill  still  re- 
joice in  the  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  "  Christ 
is  preached,  whether  in  pretence  or  in  truth  ;'* 
that  his  rehgion  is  prevailing  among  the  apostate 
sons  of  men,  by  whatever  instrumentality, 
whether  by  Methodists,  Presbyterians,  Pro- 
testant Episcopalians,  Baptists,  or  Congrega- 
tionalists,  or  whether  by  all  and  each  of  them. 
In  this  behef,  and  in  this  state  of  mind,  I  enjoy 
unspeakable  satisfaction,  and  am  prepared  to 
unite  with  all  those  who  "love  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity,"  whether  they  stand  or 
kneel  in  prayer,  whether  they  pray  with  or 
"without  a  book,  whether  they  dress  with  or 
without  a  surplice,  in  extending  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom  among  men.  If  they  treat  me  as  a 
heretic  I  cannot  help  it.  I  may  love  them  still, 
and  that  in  spite  of  them.  If  my  more  immedi- 
ate brethren  think  me  too  charitable,  neither 
can  I  help  that,  nor  does  it  diminish  my  affec- 
tion for  them.  I  must  still  enjoy  the  pleasing 
belief  that  the  rehgion  of  love  is  advancing  in 
the  world. 


EXPERIMENTAL  RELIGION.  167 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Influence  of  the  Gospel— United  influence  of  Christians— Experi- 
mental religion  inseparably  connected  with  keeping  the  com- 
mandments— The  present  state  of  the  world  highly  favourable 
—Comparative  view — Its  former  state — The  patriarchal — Mo- 
saic—Israelitish— The  time  of  our  Saviour — Church  and  State 
—The  time  of  the  Reformation— Later  times— All  worse  than 
the  present — Though  many  pure  spirits  were  found  in  those 
times,  yet  their  sufferings  prove  the  general  wickedness — 
Intolerance  of  Christians  towards  each  other— These  facts 
prove  that  tlie  present  arc  better  than  the  former  times. 

I  HAVE  substituted  the  word  Gospel  for  Metho- 
dism, for  the  purpose  of  comprehending  the  seve- 
ral denominations  of  orthodox  Christians  in  the 
grand  work  of  conquering  the  world  to  Jesus 
Christ.  So  far  as  they  lend  their  influence  in 
favour  of  experimental  and  practical  religion,  so 
far  they  work  jointly  in  promoting  the  cause  of 
man's  salvation.  And  when  I  speak  of  experi- 
mental and  practical  religion,  I  mean  to  be  un- 
derstood as  expressing  something  in  opposition 
to  mere  formalism,  to  mere  creeds  and  confessions 
of  faith ;  for  these,  however  orthodox  they  may 
be,  do  not  constitute  the  essence  of  that  religion 
of  the  heart  which  is  comprehended  in  the  phrase, 
experimental  and  practical  religion  ;  and  I  join 
these  two  together  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
that  they  arc  inseparably  connected ;  that  wher- 


Idd  THE   GNOSTIC  UERESY, 

ever  this  religion  exists  in  the  heart,  it  will  show 
itself  in  the  life ;  for  St.  John  says,  **  If  any  man 
saith  that  he  loveth  God,  and  keepeth  not  his 
commandments,  he  is  a  liar."  The  keeping  the 
commandments  of  God,  therefore,  is,  in  the  opin- 
ion of  the  apostle,  a  practical  illustration  of  the 
love  of  God  in  the  heart;  and  by  keeping  the 
commandments  he  must  have  meant  an  outward 
obedience,  else  he  did  but  use  a  senseless  tauto- 
logy, for  he  had  already  spoken  of  the  internal 
principle  by  calling  it  "  the  love  of  God ;"  and 
hence  to  say  that  he  meant  by  ''keeping  the 
commandments  of  God,"  the  same  as  ha\'in£j  the 
love  of  God  in  the  heart,  amounts  to  this,  and 
nothing  more ;  "  He  that  saith  he  loveth  God, 
and  loveth  him  not,  is  a  liar,"  which,  though  true 
in  itself,  would  be  such  a  mere  truism  as  would 
have  been  unworthy  of  the  lips  of  the  apostle. 
His  object  doubtless  was,  to  annihilate,  with  the 
smgle  stroke  of  his  pen,  the  Gnostic  heresy,  that 
all  religion  consisted  in  knowing  God,  so  that, 
however  vicious  men's  Hves,  if  they  did  but  know 
God  as  a  God  of  love,  they  were  nevertheless 
good  Christians.  In  flat  contradiction  to  this 
shameless  heresy,  the  apostle  affirms,  ''  He  that 
committeth  sin,"  by  not  "  keeping  the  command- 
ments of  God,"  "is  of  the  devil,  for  the  d«\il 
sinneth  from  the  begimiing." 


I 


THE   WORLD  IMPROVED.  169 

It  is  in  fact  one  of  the  most  practical  demon- 
strations a  person  can  give  of  Gnosticism,  to  pre- 
tend that  he  can  wilfully  violate  any  precept  of 
the  moral  code,  as  expressed  in  the  ten  command- 
ments, and  yet  enjoy  the  love  of  God  in  his  heart, 
for  *'  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law." 

Having  made  these  remarks,  to  prevent  any 
one  from  supposing  that  I  advocate  a  religion 
that  is  not  an  active  principle,  that  does  not  ex- 
emplify itself  by  a  righteous  life,  I  proceed  to 
show  how  this  religion  has  contributed  to  effect 
that  altered  state  of  things  in  the  world  which  is 
now  beheld  with  such  exquisite  delight  and  glow- 
ing gratitude.  To  do  this,  however,  we  must 
glance  at  the  former  state  of  things,  that  our- 
present  privileges  may  appear  the  greater  from 
contrast. 

I  presume  to  say  that  the  world,  taking  that 
word  in  the  most  comprehensive  sense,  as  in- 
cluding every  part  of  the  inhabited  world,  whe- 
ther Pagan,  Mohammedan,  Catholic,  or  Protes- 
tant, never  was  in  so  favourable  a  state  since  the 
introduction  of  sin  as  it  is  at  the  present  time,  for 
the  propagation  of  pure  and  midefiled  religion. 
We  may  select  any  period  we  please  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Avorld  for  the  comparison,  and  the 
scale  will  turn  in  favour  of  the  present  period. 
How  soon  was  it  after  the  sin  of  Eve  and  Adam 


170  STATE   OF  THE   WORLD. 

that  the  earth  drank  the  blood  of  Abel,  by  the 
murderous  hand  of  his  brother  Cain,  and  mere- 
ly "because  his  own  works  were  evD,  and  his 
brother's  righteous  ?"  And  so  rapidly  had  crime 
accumulated,  that  about  the  middle  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  from  the  creation,  God  swept  all 
the  inhabitants,  with  the  exception  of  eight  per- 
sons, from  the  earth  by  an  overwhelming  flood. 
And  who  that  reads  the  history  of  our  race  from 
that  memorable  period,  but  must  be  struck  with 
seeing  the  abominations  which  prevailed  among 
the  great  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  of  oiu" 
fallen  world !  Look  at  the  history  of  Abraham, 
of  Moses,  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  see  with 
what  virulent  persecution,  blood,  and  murder 
they  had  to  contend  ! 

How  was  it  at  tlie  time  our  Saviour  appeared 
in  the  form  of  man  ?  Alas  for  the  wickedness  of 
the  times !  Trace  the  history  of  the  Church  es- 
tablished at  Jerusalem  till  the  time  of  Constan- 
tino, and  what  cruel  persecutions  and  martyrdoms 
did  the  Christians  suffer  during  all  that  period 
of  above  three  hundred  years !  Crimes  of  the 
deepest  dye  stained  not  only  the  hands  of  the 
ignorant  rabble,  but  disgraced  forever  the  noblest 
of  the  nations,  and  stamped  heathen  Rome  with 
everlasting  infamy. 

And  what  shall  be  said  of  the  Chuixh  from 


CllUllCU  AND   STATE.  l7l 

the  time  it  was  incorporated  with  the  State,  un- 
der the  imperial  banner  ?  Instead  of  that  being, 
as  some  have  imagined,  the  happy  era  when  the 
Kew  Jerusalem  came  down  from  heaven  to  dwell 
among  men,  it  was  rather  the  hour  when  smoke 
issued  from  the  bottomless  pit,  obscuring  the 
peculiar  glories  of  the  Gospel,  until  they  were 
finally  enveloped  in  midnight  darkness.  No 
sooner  were  the  bishops  exalted  to  honour  by 
the  munificence  of  Constantino,  whose  conversion 
to  Christianity  was  of  a  very  doubtful  character, 
than  pride  began  to  show  itself,  pompous  rites 
and  ceremonies  were  adopted,  until,  finally,  step 
by  step,  Popery  was  established  in  all  its  unscrip- 
tural  aspects,  and  its  anti- christian  features." 
Hence  the  dark  ages  of  the  Church,  which  lasted 
for  nearly  twelve  centuries,  during  all  which  time, 
though  there  was  doubtless  here  and  there  a  pure 
spirit,  and  also  small  isolated  communities,  who 
sighed  in  secret  over  the  abominations  of  the 
earth,  yet  the  great  majority  were  carried  away 
with  the  floods  of  ungodliness,  and  pure  religion 
was  lost  amid  the  whirlpools  of  human  ambition, 
sensual  pleasure,  and  worldly  glory.  So  it  re- 
mained until  the  Reformation  commenced. 

And  need  we  any  other  evidence  of  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  nations,  from  the  time  Wiclif  arose  in 
England,  Huss  and  Jerome  in  Bohemia,  Luther 


1*12  STATE   OF  THE  WORLD. 

and  Melanctlion  in  Germany,  Calvin  m  Geneva, 
Knox  in  Scotland,  Granmer  and  his  coadjutors 
in  Great  Britain,  until  the  Revolution  efiected  by 
the  reign  of  William  and  Mary,  in  1688,  than  to 
behold  the  opposition,  the  cruel  persecutions,  im- 
prisonments, and  deaths,  which  were  inflicted 
upon  all  who  dissented  from  the  established  re- 
ligion ?  Even  the  soil  of  New-England,  the  land 
of  the  Puritans,  was  drenched  with  the  blood  of 
the  Quakers,  and  WilHams  was  banished  from 
Massachusetts  for  preaching  what  he  conscien- 
tiously beheved  to  be  the  truth.  Indeed  the 
whole  history  of  the  Reformation,  from  its  incipi- 
ent steps  down  to  its  completion,  is  but  a  record 
of  "  wickedness  in  high  places"  on  the  one  hand, 
and  of  patient  suffering  on  the  other;  and  no 
sooner  did  the  Protestants  obtain  the  dominion 
than  they  exhibited  the  intolerance  of  their  spirit 
by  persecuting  those  who  dissented  from  them. 
So  httle  was  the  spirit  of  religious  toleration  un- 
derstood in  those  times ! 

If  we  come  down  to  later  times,  we  shall  find 
the  same  evidences  of  the  wickedness  of  mankind 
exhibited  in  their  conduct  one  toward  another. 
Not  only  among  the  nations  of  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa,  but  also  in  our  own  country,  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  eighteenth  centuiy,  during  our  revo- 
lutionary struggle,  and  for  some  time  thereafter. 


SAINTLY  VIRTUES.  iVf 

infidelity  was  rife  in  all  our  borders,  profane 
swearing,  drunkenness,  and  almost  every  abomi- 
nation, infected  nearly  all  ranks  of  society. 

Now  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  there  were  none 
righteous  duiing  all  this  time.  Such  a  saying 
would  be  in  the  highest  degree  preposterous. 
We  know  that  there  appeared  at  different  times, 
both  under  the  old  and  new  dispensations,  some 
of  the  noblest  spirits  which  ever  adorned  and 
dignified  human  society.  And  never  did  saintly 
virtue  rise  to  a  higher  pitch,  or  shine  out  more 
brilliantly,  than  it  did  in  some  of  the  ancient  pa- 
triarchs, in  the  primitive  Christians,  among  the 
reformers,  and  among  the  Puritans  and  others. 
But  what  I  mean  to  say  is,  that  the  very  manner  • 
in  which  those  saintly  yrtues  were  tested,  the 
sufferings  and  the  deaths  which  were  inflicted 
upon  those  saints,  prove  to  a  demonstration  that 
wickedness  reigned  triumphantly,  and  that  in  the 
most  favoured  times  the  piinciples  of  religious 
toleration  were  but  imperfectly  understood,  and 
less  exemplified  in  practice.  The  fires  of  perse- 
cution, among  Pagans,  Catholics,  and  Protestants, 
which  burned  so  furiously  against  the  minor  sects, 
sending  them  to  the  prison,  to  the  scaflfold,  and 
to  the  stake,  attest  the  truth  of  the  above  state- 
ment, while,  since  the  penal  laws  against  dissen- 
tient Christians  have  been   either  repealed  or 


1Y4  STATE   OF  THE  WORLD. 

treated  as  a  dead  letter,  the  opposition  •wliich  has 
been  manifested  against,  and  the  ridicule  which 
has  been  poured  upon  experimental  Christianity 
by  mere  nominal  professors  of  religion,  show  how 
unwilling  such  are  that  pure  and  undefiled  reli- 
gion should  predominate  in  the  hearts  of  men, 

Nothing  shows  more  strikingly  the  imperfect 
manner  in  which  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity 
was  understood  than  the  fact,  that  no  sooner  did 
one  sect  gain  the  predominance  in  any  countiy 
than  it  enacted  and  executed  penal  laws  against 
all  other  sects,  vainly  supposing  that  conscience 
could  be  forced  to  acquiesce  in  the  dogmas  which 
it  could  not  believe,  and  that  the  religion  of  love 
could  be  propagated  "by  knocks  and  blows/' 
Thus,  while  Luther  was  contending  against  Leo 
X.,  Leo  X.  persecuted  Luther;  but  when  Lu- 
theranism  was  established  by  law  it  could  pro- 
scribe all  others.  While  Calvin  was  contending 
against  Romanism  he  cried  out  against  pei-secu- 
tion ;  but  when  Calvinism  became  predominant 
in  Holland,  it  could  condemn  and  proscribe  the 
Arminians,  in  the  persons  of  the  Remonstrants 
at  the  Synod  of  Dort.  While  Cranmer  and  his 
associates  were  labouring  to  effect  a  reformation 
in  England,  they  were  persecuted  unto  "the 
death"  by  their  enemies ;  but  no  sooner  was  the 
Church  of  England  established  bv  law  than  it 


SIGNS   OF  PROGRESS.  l75 

turned  persecutor  of  tlie  Puritans,  and  all  others 
who  dissented  from  the  religion  of  the  State. 
And  no  sooner  had  these  very  Puritans  establish- 
ed themselves  in  their  new  abode  in  the  wilds 
of  America  than  they  turned  around  and  perse- 
cuted the  Quakers,  and  hung  the  witches. 

I  have  alluded  to  these  facts  to  show  how  very 
imperfectly  the  laws  of  reciprocal  rights  were 
understood  by  our  ancestors,  and  how  much  they 
were  under  the  influence  of  that  ancient  code, 
done  away  by  our  Saviour,  "  An  eye  for  an  eye, 
and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,"  and  governed  by  the 
false  maxim,  "  that  power  gives  right."  Hence 
those  exclusive  laws  which- protected  one  sect 
and  condemned  all  the  rest.  Hence  also  I  say 
that  the  principles  of  toleration,  which  secure  to 
all  equally  the  right,  and  those  laws  which  pro- 
tect every  one  equally  in  the  privilege  of  worship- 
ping God  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own 
conscience,  were  neither  understood  nor  practised 
by  any  sect  that  happened  to  have  the  predomi- 
nance in  the  state.  Thank  God!  this  age  of 
intolerance  is  passed  away  in  the  gTeat  portion 
of  Christendom,  as  well  as  in  some  heathen  lands, 
and  I  humbly  trust,  nay,  I  fully  believe,  that  it 
is  fast  passing  away  in  those  portions  of  the  world 
where  superstition  and  intolerance  still  reign. 
The  illustration  of  this  fact  must  be  reserved  for 


176  RELIGIOUS  TOLERATION. 

a  future  chapter,  and  it  will  present  one  of  the 
most  cheering  prospects,  next  to  the  heavenly- 
vision,  upon  which  the  pious  mind  can  possibly 
dwell.  In  the  mean  time  let  us  adore  the  God 
of  all  grace  for  what  he  has  done,  and  is  now 
doing  for  the  children  of  men. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  evils  of  civil  or  religious  despotism— Altered  state  of  things 
for  the  better — Produced  by  pure  religion — The  hand  of  God 
seen  in  this — Labours  of  Simpson  and  Buchanan,  and  other 
Missionaries— British  and  Foreign  and  American  Bible  Socie- 
ties—All these  tended  to  break  down  bigotry  and  establish  a 
catholic  spirit— The  contrast  between  the  present  and  former 
times  striking — Bright  hope  for  the  future. 

We  have  taken  a  short  survey  of  the  state  of 
the  world,  from  the  sin  of  Adam  nearly  to  the 
present  time,  and  have  seen  how  generally  wick- 
edness prevailed,  and  more  especially  how  the 
principles  of  intolerance  were  incorporated  in  all 
the  religious  establishments  then  existing.  But 
since  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century  there 
has  been  a  gradual  improvement,  until  now  the 
principles  of  religious  toleration  are  more  gene- 
rally understood  and  exemplified  in  practice 
among  the  several  nations  of  the  earth. 

What  has  produced  this  alteration  for  the  bet- 
ter ?      To  this  I  answer,  and  I  believe  it  is  the 


CIVIL    LIBERTY.  ill 

only  correct  answer  which  can  be  given,  tJuit  it 
^s  the  influence  of  Gospel  truth  upon  the  under- 
standings and  cmisciences  of  manhind — that  in- 
fluence which  penetrates  the  lieart,  converts  the 
sinner  into  a  saint,  and  makes  him  a  "  new  crea- 
ture." When  the  sinner  is  thus  created  anew, 
the  laws  of  God  are  wiitten  upon  his  heart,  and 
that  law  which  requires  us  to  do  as  we  would 
be  done  by,  in  a  change  of  circumstances,  exerts 
a  controlling  effect  upon  the  conscience ;  and 
hence  those  who  are  governed  by  it  can  no  more 
oppress  their  fellow-men,  abridge  any  of  their 
rights,  or  inflict  pains  and  penalties  for  diff'e- 
rence  of  opinion,  than  they  can  wish  those  acts 
of  injustice  should  be  visited  on  themselves. 
The  hofht  of  this  truth,  reflected  from  the  throne 
of  God  on  the  renewed  Christian's  heart,  is  not 
confined  there;  its  rays  shoot  forth  in  every 
direction,  and  the  world  around  him  becomes 
enlightened.  And  so  the  principles  of  civil  as 
well  as  religious  liberty  have  been  widely  dif- 
fused among  the  nations,  by  which  means  the 
bands  of  sectarian  jealousy  have  been  broken, 
denominational  pride  and  bigotry  have  been, 
in  a  great  measure,  destroyed,  and,  as  a  conse- 
quence, ci\dl  despotism  has  lost  its  hold  in  many 
places,  and  is  fast  losmg  its  hold  in  others. 
Through  this  benign  influence  the  minds  of  sUitcs- 
12 


1*78  MISSIONS, 

men  have  been  enliohtened,  reliprious  and  civil 
bigotry  has  been  weakened,  and  the  principles  of 
civil  liberty  have  imbedded  themselves  in  the  hu- 
man heart,  and  the  folly  of  religious  intolerance 
is  seen  in  its  own  odious  and  hateful  character. 

It  is  easy  to  trace  the  hand  of  God  in  bring- 
m<r  about  these  delio-htful  results.  What  a 
flood  of  light  was  shed  on  this  subject  by  Simp- 
son's "Plea  for  Religion,"  and  how  was  this 
light  increased  by  Buchanan's  "Star  in  the 
East,"  in  which  is  related  how  that  intrepid 
missionary  penetrated  the  dungeon  of  Roman- 
ism in  Goa,  in  the  Portuguese  dominions  in  the 
East.  Ward,  Morrison,  and  Coke,  and  a  host 
of  other  men  of  God,  either  went  themselves,  or 
were  instrumental  in  sending  others,  to  explore 
the  dark  dominions  of  superstition,  error,  and 
idolatry,  and  they  sent  back  their  reports  of  the 
sad  state  of  things  which  they  beheld,  and  called 
for  additional  labourers  to  enter  the  rugged 
field.  They  went  at  the  call,  and  thus  the  mis- 
sionaries of  the  cross  visited  almost  every  land 
and  nation  under  heaven,  at  first  indeed  very 
timidly,  finding  a  cautious  prudence  necessary, 
to  prevent  or  allay  prejudice,  and  to  "  prepare 
the  way  of  the  Lord  "  in  those  dense  and  dark 
wildernesses  where  the  rays  of  Gospel  light  had 
not  penetrated. 


MISSIONS.  179 

These  missionaries  of  different  sects  and  deno- 
minations, meeting  together  in  foreign  and  heathen 
lands,  soon  felt  the  necessity  of  leaving  their  secta- 
rian partialities  and  denominational  pecuharities 
at  home,  for  bigots  to  contend  about,  and  of  miit- 
ing  their  forces  and  combining  their  strength  for 
one  undivided  onset  upon  the  strongholds  of  sin 
and  Satan.  Having  to  combat  the  spirit  of  intole- 
rance which  they  found  reigning  in  Mohammedan 
and  heathen  countries  toward  Christianity,  they 
saw  its  hateful  character,  deplored  its  withering 
effects  upon  the  human  soul,  and  lamented  over 
those  despotisms  which  had  long  bound  the  con- 
sciences of  men  in  their  "  slavish  chains  ;"  and 
accordingly  they  set  themselves  at  work  to  coun- 
teract its  influence,  by  softening,  through  the 
bland  truths  of  the  Gospel,  the  hearts  of  the 
oppressors  of  mankind,  and  to  plead  for  liberty 
to  worship  Him  **  who  hath  made  of  one  blood 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth,"  according  to  the 
dictates  of  an  enlightened  conscience. 

Thus  the  labours  of  the  missionaries  contri- 
buted mightily  to  relax  the  hold  by  which  in- 
tolerance had  long  held  so  many  nations  in 
bondage.  They  felt,  indeed,  that  if  it  was 
wrong  for  Mohammedanism  and  heathenism  to 
abridge  their  rights,  it  was  equally  Avrong  for 
Christians,  so  called,  to  proscribe  each  other; 


180  BIBLE   SOCIETIES. 

and  that,  if  it  was  essential  for  them,  in  order  to 
pursue  their  high  vocation  with  success  among 
the  heathen,  to  love  one  another,  and  to  exem- 
plify that  love  by  a  imion  of  affection  and  effort, 
it  was  equally  so  among  Christians  at  home. 
Thus  the  light  of  divine  truth  which  shone  upon 
their  minds  in  heathen  lands,  by  a  reflex  action, 
tended  to  enlighten  the  lands  whence  they 
came. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  these  movements 
among  the  churches  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Bible 
Society  commenced  its  operations,  first  in  Eng- 
land, and  then  in  the  United  States.  At  the 
formation  of  this  society  in  England,  the  rare 
siHit  was  beheld  in  its  board  of  manaorers,  of 
Episcopalians,  Independents,  Methodists,  Bap- 
tists, and  Quakers,  all  uniting  together  to  send 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  without  note  or  comment, 
to  all  the  nations  of  our  globe.  The  same 
catholic  spirit  was  exhibited  at  the  establish- 
ment of  the  American  Bible  Society.  And 
never,  surely,  was  a  fitter  or  broader  platform 
laid  for  all  sects  to  stand  upon  than  that  of  a 
Bible  Society  so  formed  and  conducted ;  for 
who  that  believes  in  divine  revelation  can  with- 
hold his  assent  from,  or  refrain  from  giving  his 
hearty  assistance  to,  an  association  formed  for 
the  purpose  of  inculcating,  as  extensively  as 


THEIR   GOOD  EFFECTS.  181 

possible,  that  Bible  which  contains  such  a  reve- 
lation in  all  its  perfection  ? 

That  this  noble  and  truly  philanthropic  insti- 
tution has  mightily  contributed  to  do  away  de- 
nominational jealousies,  and  to  pare  off  the  sharp 
edges  of  sectarian  rivalship,  not  only  by  uniting 
all  the  orthodox  Christians  in  its  counsels,  and 
employing  them  as  equally  as  may  be  in  its 
agencies,  but  in  distributing  its  Bibles  among  all 
classes  that  will  receive  them,  whether  infidels, 
Jews,  Mohammedans,  heathens,  Catholics,  or 
Protestants — excluding  none  from  the  embrace 
of  its  charity  who  will  not  exclude  themselves — 
who  will  attempt  to  deny  ?  What  a  monument  of 
the  most  enlarged  benevolence  is  this !  What 
an  honour  to  the  Christianity  of  the  nineteenth 
century!  And  what  a  demonstration  of  the 
catholicity  of  that  religion  which  the  Bible  in- 
culcates ! 

That  the  labours  of  these,  namely,  The  British 
and  Foreign,  and  American  Bible  Societies,  and 
their  various  auxiliaries  in  Europe  and  America, 
have  greatly  tended  to  advance  the  cause  of 
Christian  liberality,  to  sap  the  foundation  of  re- 
ligious intolerance,  and  thereby  to  open  the  way 
for  the  imiversal  spread  of  the  Gospel,  who  can 
doubt?  Their  boards  of  managers  are  com- 
posed of  members  of  different  churches,  their 


182  IMPROVEMENTS. 

agents  are  ministers  of  several  denominations, 
and  thus  Presbyterians,  Congregationalists,  Me- 
thodists, and  Episcopahans  fraternize  together, 
and  interchange — with  the  exception  of  the  latter 
— each  other's  pulpits,  particularly  when  they 
plead  the  Bible  cause.  This  makes  them  better 
acquainted  with  each  other,  and  consequently 
leads  them  more  justly  to  appreciate  one  ano- 
ther's "  gifts,  grace,  and  usefulness." 

But  by  whatever  causes,  means,  or  instrumen- 
talities these  happy  results  have  been  effected, 
the  fact  itself  is  indisputable,  that  such  a  refor- 
mation has  been  wrought  among  almost  all  na- 
tions, that  those  external  barriers  which  origi- 
nated from  civil  despotism  and  religious  intole- 
rance have  been,  in  a  great  measure,  removed, 
and  that  a  way  is  thus  opened  for  the  feet  of 
the  missionar}^  with  the  Bible  in  his  hand,  the 
love  of  God  in  his  heart,  and  the  words  of  truth 
on  his  lips,  to  enter  unmolestedly  and  proclaim 
*'  Jesus  and  the  resurrection."  What  a  revolu- 
tion has  thus  been  eflfectcd  !  And  how  striking 
the  contrast  between  these  and  former  days! 
Formerly,  in  every  age,  with  but  few  excep- 
tions, the  minority  was  persecuted  by  the  ma- 
jority, and  often  the  sincere  Christian  had  to 
wade  through  rivers  of  blood  in  order  to  main- 
tain his  integrity,  and  arrive  at  the  end  of  his 


IMPROVEMENTS.  183 

race.  Now  he  passes  along,  not  only  in  peace, 
but  generally  protected  in  his  rights  and  privi- 
leges by  the  state  in  which  he  resides.  Even 
in  Mohammedan  and  heathen  lands,  the  mis- 
sionary is  permitted  to  enter,  to  reside,  to  travel, 
to  preach  and  pray,  to  build  churches,  to  circu- 
late the  Bible,  and  to  do  all  which  the  Lord  his 
God  has  commanded  him,  without  let  or  hin- 
drance from  any  man. 

Hence  these  men  of  God  are  scattered  in 
Africa,  in  Asia,  and  different  parts  of  Europe,  in 
the  islands  of  the  seas,  among  the  aboriorines  of 
our  own  country,  and  indeed  in  every  state  and 
kingdom  under  heaven,  with  the  exception  of 
those  under  Papal  influence,  and  even  in  these 
the  way  appears  to  be  preparing  for  the  Lord  in 
a  very  remarkable  manner.  In  France,  since 
the  late  revolution,  and  in  other  states  of  Eu- 
rope, free  toleration  is  allowed  for  all  sects  to 
exercise  themselves,  and  to  preach  their  respec- 
tive pecuharities.  In  Palestine,  the  land  where 
Isaiah  sung  and  prophesied,  where  Christ,  the 
Messenger  of  the  new  covenant,  was  born, 
preached,  died,  and  rose  again,  and  from  which 
he  ascended  to  heaven,  but  which  has  long  been 
under  the  iron  sceptre  of  Mohammedan  des- 
potism, even  here  in  Jerusalem,  around  whicli 
cluster  so  many  endeared  recollections,  is  the 


184  ENCOURAGING   FACTS. 

Gospel  preached  in  its  purity.  In  Constanti- 
nople, so  long  the  "  nest  of  every  unclean  bird/' 
the  "  seat  of  the  false  prophet,"  Protestant  mis- 
sionaries are  actively  engaged  in  preaching  the 
Gospel,  and  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  circulated. 
China,  by  a  very  mysterious  providence,  has 
opened  her  gates  to  the  missionar}^  of  the  cross, 
and  he  is  entering  them  -with  words  of  peace  on 
his  lips.  In  fact,  the  whole  land  of  the  East, 
— once  the  theatre  of  so  many  astonishing  events, 
that  has  furnished  such  varied  themes  for  the 
poet,  the  historian,  the  antiquarian,  the  philoso- 
pher, whether  heathen,  Jew,  or  Christian — 
seems  now  opened,  or  opening,  for  the  recep- 
tion of  Him  who  "  bringeth  glad  tidings  of  great 
joy  to  all  people." 

Time  indeed  would  fail  me  to  undertake  to 
enumerate  all  the  instances  which  demonstrate 
the  truth  of  the  proposition,  tliat  the  present 
days  are  better  than  the  former.  We  may 
therefore  say  to  those  who  question  the  fact, 
in  the  language  of  inspiration,  "  Say  not  thou. 
What  is  the  cause  that  the  former  days  were 
better  than  these?  for  thou  dost  not  inquire 
wisely  concerning  this,"  Eccles.  vii,  10.  Those 
who  will  take  the  trouble  to  contrast  the  pre- 
sent with  the  past,  from  the  records  of  history, 
will  be  constrained  to  acknowledge  that  the  pre- 


CAUSE   OF  THANKFULNESS.  185 

sent  is  incomparably  better  in  every  respect, 
civilly,  religiously,  scientifically,  artistically,  agri- 
culturally, and  commercially ;  and  if  the  Chris- 
tian -will  be  wise  and  diligent,  he  will  find  that 
he  can  use  all  these  immense  advantages  for  the 
glory  of  God,  in  the  advancement  of  the  Re- 
deemer's cause  in  the  earth. 

Now  I  certainly  envy  not  the  heart  of  that 
man  that  can  sit  down  and  calmly  meditate  on 
this  most  desirable  and  delin^htful  state  of  thino^s, 
and  not  be  animated  with  a  bright  hope  in  the 
future,  and  will  not  send  up  his  grateful  ac- 
knowledgments to  the  God  of  all  grace  for  his 
manifold  mercies.  He  that  can,  amidst  these 
scenes — scenes  which  unfold  the  wisdom,  power, 
and  goodness  of  Almighty  God  so  conspicuously 
and  gloriously — indulge  himself  in  repinings 
over  the  degeneracy  of  the  age,  and  the  desola- 
tions of  the  Church,  instead  of  catching  fire 
from  the  holy  altar,  and  bursting  forth  in  songs 
of  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  God  "for  his 
wonderful  goodness  unto  the  children  of  men," 
— why,  I  must  leave  him  to  his  own  musings,  and 
join  with  all  those  of  every  name  and  order  who 
will  unite  with  me  in  ascribing  **  honour,  and 
glory,  and  dominion  to  Him  that  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  forever." 


186    CHRONOLOGICAL  COMMENTATORS. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  author  expresses  his  conviction  in  the  validity  of  his  con- 
clusions— Former  incredulity  in  chronological  interpretations 
— Mr.  Fleming's  prediction  of  the  downfall  of  the  Pope  in  1848 
— These  opened  new  -views — Wesley  and  Faber  approximate 
near  each  other,  and  with  Fleming— Causes  of  the  difference 
— This  difference  being  so  small,  confirms  the  truth  of  the  pre- 
diction— All  these  things  argue  the  near  approach  of  the  mil- 
lennium—In what  this  is  to  consist— Further  representations 
of  Fleming— Final  overthrow  of  the  Pope  in  the  year  2000— 
The  reasons  for  this. 

If  I  have  not  very  much  misunderstood  the 
state  of  things — and  I  have  tried  to  be  impar- 
tially accurate — the  prospects  before  the  Church 
are  of  the  most  encouraging  character.  I  cer- 
tainly have  not  intentionally  allowed  my  imagi- 
nation or  my  feelings  to  bias  my  judgment,  but 
have  endeavoured  to  draw  all  my  conclusions 
from  indisputable  facts.  I  claim,  however,  no 
infallibility ;  and,  therefore,  if  any  one  will  con- 
vict me  of  en-or,  in  a  Christian  spirit,  my  ac- 
knowledgment shall  follow  such  conviction  just 
as  speedily  and  frankly  as  I  am  capable  of  per- 
forming it. 

For  a  number  of  years,  my  confidence  has 
been  very  much  weakened  in  the  accuracy  of 
the  chronological  commentators  upon  the  pro- 
phecies of  Daniel  and  St.  John,  because  I  thought 


UNWORTHY   OF  CREDIT.  18*7 

they  had  proved  themselves  false  prophets,  by 
the  events  not  harmonizing  with  the  predictions 
which  they  professed  to  found  upon  the  pro- 
phetic Scriptures.  About  thirty  years  since, 
from  reading  Faber  and  some  others,  I  spun 
out  a  fine  theory  for  myself,  with  which  I  was 
much  pleased  for  the  time,  and  could  dilate 
upon  with  great  delight;  but  soon  events  oc- 
curred which  tore  my  theory  into  fragments, 
and  I  was  forced  to  abandon  it  as  utterly  un- 
tenable. And  surely  the  late  frenzied  delu- 
sion, conjured  up  by  the  disordered  imagination 
of  Miller,  by  which  so  many  weak  but  honest 
minds  were  maddened  by  the  wildest  specula- 
tions that  ever  bewildered  and  bewitched  the 
human  soul,  and  all  professedly  founded  on  the 
chronological  prophecies  of  Daniel  and  St.  John, 
has  had  no  tendency  to  remove  my  perplexities, 
or  to  strengthen  my  faith  in  the  truth  of  these 
prophetic  interpretations. 

Nor  do  I  now  pretend  to  have  arrived  at  any 
sure  data  on  which  to  found  an  undoubted  con- 
fidence in  the  interpretation  of  these  mysterious 
prophecies.  But  on  looking  over,  a  short  time 
since,  Benson's  Commentary  on  the  twelfth 
chapter  of  the  Revelation,  I  found  he  quoted  a 
passage  from  the  writings  of  Mr.  Fleming,  in 
which  that  eminent  commentator,  in  his  inter- 


188  FLEMING'S  CALCULATION. 

pretation  of  this  prophecy  respecting  the  woman 
fleeing  into  the  wilderness,  where  she  should  be 
fed  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  days,  predicted, 
from  a  chronological  calculation  derived  from 
this  symbolical  representation,  that  the  Pope 
should  be  put  down  in  1848.  Mr.  Fleming 
wrote  his  Commentary  upon  the  book  of  Reve- 
lation in  1701,  just  one  hundred  and  forty-seven 
years  before  the  event  took  place.  This  re- 
markable coincidence,  I  must  confess,  struck 
me  with  great  force ;  for  we  had  just  been  in- 
formed that  Pope  Pius  IX.  had  fled  from  Rome 
to  Gaeta,  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  and  sub- 
sequent events  have  attested  the  fact  that  the 
Provisional  Government  of  Italy  had  deposed 
the  Pope  from  all  his  temporal  power. 

This  opened  a  new  scene  for  reflection.  I 
recollected  that  Faber,  predicating  his  calcula- 
tion of  the  same  symbolical  prophecy,  had  pre- 
dicted the  overthrow  of  the  Pope  in  1866,  and 
that  Wesley,  borrowing  from  Bengelius,  had 
intimated  that  the  same  event  would  occur  in 
1836. 

These  men  of  God  differ  thus  in  respect  to 
the  time  of  the  overthrow  of  the  Popedom,  on 
account  of  their  disagreement  as  regards  the 
time  of  the  commencement  of  the  twelve  hun- 
dred and  sixty  days,  Faber  placing  it  in  six 


FLEMING   AND  FABEK.  180 

hundred  and  six ;  and  Wesley  not  only  dissents 
from  Fleming  and  Faber,  both  in  his  date  of  the 
commencement  of  the  important  era  of  the  wo- 
man's fleeing  into  the  wilderness,  but  also  in  the 
length  of  the  time  of  the  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  days,  making  it  extend  from  about  800 
to  1836.  The  reason  why  Faber  differs  from 
Fleming  is,  that  the  former  reckons  a  day  for  a 
calendar  year,  and  thus,  by  adding  twelve  hun- 
dred and  sixty  years  to  six  hundred  and  six, 
brings  the  fulfilment  of  this  chronological  pro- 
phecy down  to  1866 ;  while  Fleming  makes 
them  prophetical  years,  which  leads  him  to  de- 
duct eighteen  from  the  calendar  years,*  and 
thus   to  bring   it  down  to    1848.     This  sym- 

^'  Tlie  difference  between  a  prophetical  and  a  Julian,  or 
calendar  year,  consists  in  this — a  prophetical  year  is  made  up 
of  twelve  months,  of  just  thirty  days  each  month,  making 
three  hundred  and  sixty  days  in  the  year ;  while  a  Julian 
year  includes  twelve  months  of  different  number  of  days,  as 
thirty,  thirty-one,  twenty-eight,  with  the  exception  of  leap- 
year,  when  February  has  twenty-nine  days  ;  so  that  a  Julian, 
or  our  common  year,  has  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days, 
five  hours,  forty-eight  minutes,  forty  five  and  a  half  seconds. 
This,  by  leaving  out  the  fractions  of  minutes  and  seconds, 
■will  make  a  difference,  in  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty  jears, 
of  about  eighteen  years.  It  is  by  this  mode  of  calculation 
that  Mr.  Fleming,  deducting  eighteen  from  twelve  hundred 
and  sixty,  and  adding  the  twelve  hundred  and  forty-two  to 
six  hundred  and  six,  terminates  the  reign  of  the  Pope  in  1848 
ijistead  of  18G6. 


190  SIGNS   OF  THE  TIMES. 

bolical  language  has  been  doubtless  used  that 
its  meaning  might  be  understood  only  by  the 
coming  to  pass  of  the  events.  And  I  certainly 
shall  not  add  to  the  immense  pile  of  baseless 
conjectures  which  has  been  accumulating  by  the 
folly  or  presumption  of  fallible  men,  who  have 
vainly  attempted  to  draw  aside  the  veil  which 
hides  futurity  from  human  view,  by  trying  to 
unfold  the  meaning  of  a  prophecy  before  its 
truth  is  declared  by  its  fulfilment.  On  the  con- 
trary, wisdom  would  seem  to  dictate  the  pro- 
priety of  waiting  patiently  for  time  to  develop 
that  hidden  meaning  of  those  prophecies  which 
is  now  wrapped  up  in  that  symbolic  language 
which  is  hard  to  be  understood,  and  which 
seems  to  have  been  so  recorded  for  the  express 
purpose  of  preventing  vain  mortals  from  know- 
ing those  things  which  are  in  future,  that  they 
may  attend  more  diligently  to  those  which  God 
hath  revealed,  as  the  object  of  their  faith  and 
the  measure  of  theii*  duty. 

In  the  mean  time  we  may  remark,  that  the 
"  signs  of  the  times,"  which  now  appear  in  the 
political  and  religious  horizon,  seem  to  indicate 
the  near  approach  of  that  day,  when  the  king- 
dom of  the  Lord  Jesus  "  shall  extend  from  the 
river  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth ;"  when  the 
"  stone  that  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without 


FAVOURABLE  SIGNS.  191 

hands,  shall  break  in  pieces  the  iron,  the  brass, 
the  clay,  the  silver,  and  the  gold ;"  and  when 
the  "great  God"  shall  establish  his  kingdom 
universally  among  men,  and  Jesus  Christ  shall 
reign  "  God  over  all,  blessed  forever." 

I  say,  the  signs  of  the  times  seem  to  indicate 
this.  Look  at  the  free  toleration  for  the  propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  already  noticed,  among 
almost  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  As  God 
anciently  overruled  the  wickedness  of  Pharaoh, 
of  Sihon,  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  of  Cyrus,  and  a 
thousand  other  rulers  of  men,  to  subserve  his 
purposes  of  wisdom,  truth,  and  goodness,  to  the 
children  of  men,  so  he  has  been  "  preparing  the 
way  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,"  by  the  wars  in 
Europe,  occasioned  by  the  revolution  in  France 
in  1789,  from  which  sprang  Bonaparte — one  of 
the  most  renowned  warriors  of  the  world — and 
his  veteran  generals,  for  the  development  of  his 
own  benevolent  purposes  of  mercy,  and  for  the 
final  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  his  Son  on 
the  earth.  How  marvellously  did  the  providence 
of  God  manifest  itself  in  overruling  the  attack 
of  the  British  arras  upon  the  Chinese,  which,  to 
all  human  appearance,  was  an  act  of  flagrant 
injustice,  so  as  to  make  it  eventuate  in  such  a 
treaty  of  peace  as  should  secure  the  free  en- 
trance of  missionaries  into  that   populous   and 


192  SIGNS   UF   THE  TIMES. 

superstitious  empire !  And  wherever  the  British 
government  holds  sway  in  the  East  or  West, 
there  freedom  of  conscience  in  religious  matters 
is  secured  to  the  people.  In  this  light,  what  a 
blessing  to  the  world  is  that  government,  with 
all  its  imperfections !  May  it  not  abuse  its 
powers  by  becoming  intolerant,  but  so  use  its 
dominion,  as  to  fulfil  its  high  trusts  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  true  religion ! 

But  what  an  opening  does  this  present  for 
the  spread  of  the  Gospel !  And  how  animating 
the  prospect  when  we  look  abroad — East,  West, 
N^orth,  and  South — and  behold  everywhere 
"  the  fields  white  for  the  harvest !" 

Nor  must  we  forget,  or  overlook,  our  own 
happy  country,  as  one  of  the  agents  in  effecting 
this  glorious  revolution.  The  principles  of  civil 
and  religious  liberty,  early  planted  in  these 
feeble  colonies,  continued  their  heavenly  influ- 
ence, until  the  eventful  period  arrived  which  de- 
clared and  achiev.ed  our  independence.  Since 
then  what  wonders  has  God  wrought  in  this 
and  other  countries  !  Here  especially  have  those 
principles  grown  to  maturity,  and  they  have  af- 
fected, less  or  more,  all  the  kingdoms  of  Europe  ; 
and  they  will  continue,  I  most  devoutly  pray,  to 
diffuse  themselves  more  and  more,  until  the 
despotisms  of  the  old  world  shall  be  annihilated, 


THE   MILLENNIUM.  193 

and  all  men  eveiy  where  may  sit  down  "  under  their 
own  vine  and  fig-tree,"  and  worship  God  without 
any  other  restraint  than  what  the  word  of  God 
imposes  upon  an  enlightened  understanding  and 
a  well-instructed  conscience. 

Now,  take  all  these  things  into  the  account, 
and  then  connect  with  the  pleasing  view  the 
facts  heretofore  stated,  namely,  the  exertions 
which  are  now  making,  by  nearly  all  denomina- 
tions of  Christians,  both  at  home  and  abroad  ; 
by  building  churches,  filling  the  pulpits  with 
holy  and  spiritual  ministers ;  by  sending  out 
missionaries  into  every  land,  to  which  access 
can  be  had  ;  by  circulating  the  Bible  in  almost 
every  language  and  dialect  under  heaven,  and 
the  increased  spirit  of  holiness,  of  holy  living 
and  acting; ;  and  then  let  us  ask  ourselves, 
whether  we  have  not  abundant  reason  for  be- 
lieving that  God  is  about  to  take  to  himself  his 
great  power,  and  reign  universal  King  on  the 
earth  ? — in  other  words,  whether  he  is  not, 
even  now,  ushering  in  the  millennium,  as^it  has 
been  not  unaptly  called,  from  the  "thousand 
years  "  of  Christ's  reign,  mentioned  in  the  Reve- 
lation ? 

Let  us  not,  however,  deceive  ourselves  by 
anticipating  an  imaginary  millennium.  I  do  not 
believe — and  the  reasons  for  this  unbelief  "ftre 
13 


194  THE  MILLENNIUM. 

too  numerous  to  mention  here — (See  Appendix 
No.  2) — either  that  Jesus  Christ  will  ever  appear 
personally  among  men  on  this  earth,  or  that 
such  a  time  ^yill  ever  come,  before  the  "  new 
heavens  and  new  earth "  shall  be  formed,  as 
that  all  and  every  one  of  the  inhabitants  of  our 
world  shall  be  really  and  personally  righteous ; 
and  that,  consequently,  all  wickedness  shall  be 
swept  from  among  men.  But  I  believe  the 
millennium  that  we  are  authorized  to  expect,  is 
such  a  one  as  shall  put  "  down  all  rule  and  au- 
thority "  but  such  as  is  according  to  godliness, 
or  such  as  Christianity  shall  sanction ;  that  all 
false  systems  of  religion,  and  unrighteous  civil 
governments,  shall  be  destroyed,  so  that  Chris- 
tianity shall  be  the  only  religion  professed  by 
any  people  or  nation ;  that  thus  an  offer  of  life 
and  salvation  shall  be  freely  and  fully  made  to 
every  living  man  and  woman,  upon  the  terms 
of  the  Gospel ;  so  that  if  any  perish  in  his  sins, 
it  will  not  be  because  he  was  born  a  Jew,  a 
Mohammedan,  or  Heathen,  but  only  because  he 
willingly  and  wilfully  refused  to  believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  only  Saviour  of  the 
world. 

When  this  period  shall  have  arrived,  and  the 
Gospel  has  been  thus  preached  among  all  na- 
tions, I  believe  the  end  of  the  world  will  come : 


Fleming's  calculations.  195 

and  then  "  he  that  is  holy  shall  be  holy  still, 
and  he  that  is  unholy  shall  be  unholy  still."  I 
beheve  that  the  commencement  of  this  happy 
period  is  nigh,  even  at  the  door,  if  it  be  not 
indeed  already  begun. 

Since  the  remarks  upon  Fleming's  interpreta- 
tion were  written,  I  have,  through  the  kindness 
of  a  friend,  procured  a  copy  of  his  work,  and 
find  that  he  calculates  the  complete  destruction 
of  the  Papacy  in  the  year  2,000,  from  the  fact 
that  the  Pope  was  not  invested  with  the  full 
title  of  Universal  Bishop  until  '758,  under  the 
reign  of  the  emperor  Pepin.  According  to  this, 
the  Papacy  may  be  gradually  wasting  away, 
under  the  unerring,  but  just  hand  of  Divine 
Providence,  overruling  the  events  of  the  world, 
and  causing  them  to  crush  by  slow  degrees  the 
power  of  the  Pope,  both  in  its  head  and  limbs, 
until  the  time  predicted  shall  come,  when  the 
entire  fabric,  as  such,  shall  be  destroyed. 
Though,  therefore,  it  be  true  that  Mr.  Fleming 
predicted  the  fall  of  the  Pope  in  1848,  and 
though  we  have  seen  this  literally  accomplished, 
so  far  as  respects  his  temporal  power,  he  yet 
retains  his  spiritual  office  as  bishop,  and  may 
continue  to  exercise  it  for  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
two  years,  or  until  the  two  thousandth  year  of 
the  Christian  era. 


196  THE   MILLENNIUM. 

I  merely  give  these  facts  as  the  result  of 
Mr.  Fleming's  calculations,  without  uttering  any 
opinion  respecting  their  truth.  Time  will  de- 
velop all  these  things  in  the  due  course  of  events. 
We  may  therefore  safely  wait  for  this  infallible 
interpreter  of  the  mysteries  of  Divine  providence 
to  unfold  the  meaning  of  the  prophetic  Scrip- 
tures, and  make  everything  plain.  **  What  I  do 
thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shalt  know  here- 
after," applies  with  equal  force  to  all  those  fu- 
ture events  which  are  wrapped  up  in  the  dark- 
ness of  a  hidden  providence,  as  it  did  to  the 
question  of  the  disciples,  when  they  asked  the 
Lord  Jesus  if  at  that  time  he  would  "  restore 
again  the  kingdom  to  Israel." 


GREAT  WORK  TO  BE  DONE.  197 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  millennium  near  at  hand,  though  much  remains  to  be 
done  before  its  realization — The  present  state  of  the  world — 
1,000,000,000  its  estimated  population — One-tliird  only  of  these 
are  Christians — the  others  Mohammedans,  Pagans,  and  Jews 
— Probably  two-thirds  of  the  Christians  either  Roman  Catho- 
lics or  Greeks — Among  the  70,000,000  Protestants,  not  over 
3,500,000  real  Christians— Look  at  China— At  Africa— At  Eu- 
rope— Prospects  gloomy — State  of  the  Protestant  world — Evils 
of  Church  and  State — Look  at  America — Gloomy  state  of 
South  America  and  Mexico— Glance  at  the  conquest— The 
United  States— Here  things  more  favourable— Much  remains 
to  be  done — Calculation  of  the  time  for  the  general  spread  of 
the  Gospel — The  holy  Christian  fixes  his  faith  on  the  promises 
of  God— Present  facilities  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel. 

I  HAVE  intimated  that  the  time  is  drawing  nigh 
for  the  millennial  glory  to  be  ushered  into  the 
world.  I  do  not  wish,  however,  to  be  misunder- 
stood upon  this  subject.  Though  the  time  of 
its  commencement  may  be  near  at  hand,  if  in- 
deed it  has  not  already  begun,  it  may  neverthe- 
less be  a  long  time,  as  we  measure  time,  in  pro- 
gress, and  that  time  will  be  long  or  short,  ac- 
cording to  the  rapidity  with  which  the  work  is 
pushed  forward.  But  whether  the  time  be  long 
or  short,  and  whether  the  spiritual  reign  of 
Christ  on  this  earth  be  a  thousand  or  ten  thou- 
sand years,  it  is  most  manifest  that  a  great  work 
remains  to  be  done  before  that  happy  consum- 
mation shall  be  fully  realized. 


lUS  telATE    OF  THE  ^V(JKLD. 

To  be  cominced  of  tliis,  let  us  look  at  the 
present  condition  of  the  world  in  respect  to  the 
actual  stcite  of  pui^e  and  undefiled  religion. 
Though  it  is  highly  favourable  as  it  regards  the 
prevalence  of  civil  and  religious  hberty,  and 
therefore  for  the  revival  and  spread  of  evangel- 
ical piety,  yet  the  greater  portion  of  the  -world 
is  still  under  the  power  of  sin,  superstition,  and 
idolatry,  which  even  now  overspread  more  than 
two-thirds  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  while 
among  those  who  profess  a  belief  in  Christianity 
only  a  small  minority  are  genuine  believers  in 
Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  estimated  that  there  are  now  about 
1,000,000,000  of  inhabitants  on  our  globe.  (See 
Appendix,  Xo.  3.)  Out  of  these  1,000,000,000 
there  are  only  about  one- third,  or  say  300,000,000, 
that  even  profess  the  Christian  religion.  The 
other  two-thirds,  say  700,000,000,  are  either 
Mohammedans,  Jews,  or  Pagans.  Among  those 
who  profess  a  belief  in  Christianity,  more  than 
one-half,  some  say  two-thirds,  belong  to  the 
Roman  Catholic  and  Greek  Churches.  Among 
those  denominated  Protestants,  numbering  about 
"70,000,000,  probably  not  over  one  in  twenty, 
that  is,  about  3,500,000,  have  an  experimental 
knowledge  of  God  by  a  living  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.     I  do  not  sav  that  all  the  rest  are  re- 


CHINA.  191) 

probates.  There  doubtless  might  be  found  those 
among  the  diflferent  sects,  unknown  to  all  but 
God,  who  conscientiously  improve  the  light  they 
have  ;  who,  not  having  the  written  "  law,  do  by 
nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  are  a 
law  unto  themselves,  which  show  the  work  of 
the  law  >vritten  in  their  hearts,  their  conscience 
also  bearing  witness,  their  thoughts  meanwhile 
accusing  or  else  excusing  one  another  ;"  for  "  in 
every  nation,  he  that  feareth  God  and  worketh 
righteousness  is  accepted  of  Him."  Such  are 
saved  through  the  merits  and  mediation  of 
Christ,  though  they  never  heard  of  him,  just  as 
infants  and  idiots  are  saved  by  His  merits,  though 
incapable  of  believing  in  Him  "  with  a  heart  imto 
righteousness." 

But  leaving  these  out  of  the  question,  let  us 
for  a  moment  consider  the  great  work  to  be  ac- 
complished before  Christianity  shall  be  univer- 
sally established.  Look  at  the  vast  empire  of 
China,  containing  probably  150,000,000  of  in- 
habitants, all,  with  but  few  exceptions,  bowing 
down  to  idols,  which  can  neither  hear  nor  speak. 
What  a  mighty  mass  of  corruption,  of  supersti- 
tion, and  idolatry  to  be  removed  !  Persia,  the 
land  of  Palestine, — the  exact  number  of  their  in- 
habitants I  cannot  tell, — and  other  countries  of 
Asia,  are  still  under  the  dominion  of  Mohamme- 


200  STATE    OF   THE   WORLD. 

dan  imposture,  Jewish  prejudice,  or  pagan  su- 
perstition. And  these  false  systems  of  rehgion 
are  strengthened  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  hj 
the  manner  in  which  they  administer  to  their 
sensual  indulgence.  These  countries  indeed  pre- 
sent an  arid  wast€,  a  barren  desert,  with  here 
and  there  a  green  spot,  which  has  been  culti- 
vated by  the  missionary,  and  which,  like  an 
oasis  in  the  sands  of  Africa,  aflfords  the  Christian 
pilgrim  a  means  of  refreshment  to  his  weary 
spirit. 

Look  at  Africa,  though  never  thoroughly  ex- 
plored by  the  scientific  traveller,  containing  pro- 
bably 90,000,000  of  souls,  with  the  exception  of 
here  and  there  a  Christian  society,  all  under 
either  Mohammedan  delusion  or  pagan  idolatry, 
many  of  whom  are  as  ignorant  of  God,  and  the 
arts  of  civilization,  as  her  Sahara  desert  is  des- 
titute of  vegetable  hfe.  Though  some  few  of 
her  numerous  tribes,  who  inhabit  the  seacoast, 
ha.ve  embraced  the  Gospel,  and  though  a  Chris- 
tian colony  is  rising  in  Liberia,  yet  the  great  pro- 
portion of  her  vast  population  are  given  up  to 
all  the  comiption  peculiar  to  Mohammedan  and 
heathen  principles  and  modes  of  worship.  Egypt, 
the  cradle  of  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  and  once 
the  seat  of  a  Christian  bishopric  ;  Carthage,  for- 
merly the  city  of  refinement,  of  literature,  and 


EUROPE.  201 

the  arts,  and  once  the  theatre  of  Christian  pole- 
mics, now  in  ruins ;  Ethiopia,  once  famous  for 
its  attachment  to  Christian  worship ;  Hippo,  cele- 
brated in  ecclesiastical  history  as  the  seat  of  Au- 
gustine, a  Christian  bishop — all  these  places, 
with  hundreds  of  others,  included  within  the  do- 
mains of  Africa,  have  become  the  "habitation 
of  the  dragon,  a  nest  for  every  unclean  bird,"  or, 
in  other  words,  are  given  over  to  a  bewildering 
delusion.  And  as  to  the  interior  of  Africa,  no 
man  knows  its  condition,  for  it  has  never  been 
fully  explored.  What  a  mighty  work  is  to  be 
done  here  before  Christ  can  reign  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  and  subdue  them  to  himself ! 

Nor  do  many  parts  of  Europe,  though  nomi- 
nally Christian,  present  a  much  brighter  prospect. 
In  France,  Austria,  Italy,  Naples,  and  some  other 
minor  kingdoms  and  principalities,  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion  predominates ;  while  Russia, 
containing  upward  of  56,000,000  souls,  is  mostly 
under  the  hierarchy  of  the  Greek  Church.  And 
though  we  may  hope  that  in  these  Churches,  in 
which  the  cardinal  truths  of  divine  revelation  are 
maintained,  there  may  be  found  some  pious  souls, 
who,  like  De  Rente,  Madame  Guion,  Fenelon, 
and  a  Kempis,  "  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  and 
have  no  confidence  in  the"  fleshly  ceremonies 
with  which  their  religious  systems  are  surround- 


202  tJTATi:    UF  THE    WUKLD. 

ed  and  encumbered,  yet  we  know  that  infidelity 
abounds  in  their  midst,  that  sensuahty  debases 
the  great  mass  of  priests  and  people,  and  con- 
sequently that  purity  of  heart  and  practice  is 
rarely  found  among  them. 

And  what  shall  we  say  of  the  Protestant  world 
in  general?  Do  the  professors  of  this  form  of 
Christianity,  generally  speaking,  afford  any  ex- 
ample to  their  Catholic  or  Greek  neighbours  of 
a  superior  cast  to  induce  them  to  change  their 
Cathohcism  for  Protestantism?  I  fear  not.  I 
greatly  fear  that,  on  a  comparison  of  those  coun- 
tries where  Protestantism  is  estabhshed  by  law, 
where  Church  and  State  are  united,  and  where 
of  course  religion  is  supported  by  the  state,  there 
has  been  but  little  of  the  genuine  spirit  of  Chris- 
tianity to  commend  it  to  the  acceptance  of  either 
Catholics,  Greeks,  Mohammedans,  or  pagans, 
until  quite  recently,  and  this  has  been  produced 
by  the  bland  influence  of  the  Gospel,  as  preach- 
ed and  exemplified'  by  the  dissentient  sects  of 
Christians,  and  that  too  in  opposition  to  the  power 
and  influence  of  the  predominant  religion— 
the  same  overbearing  spirit  of  intolerance,  the 
same  disregard  to  honour  and  justice  in  their  in- 
tercourse one  with  another,  the  same  spirit  of 
intriorue,  of  war  and  bloodsheddins^,  have  been 
exhibited    by  Protestant   nations,  and  even  by 


AMERICA.  203 

Protestant  denominations,  as  have  been  hereto- 
fore manifested  by  Cathohc  kingdoms,  or  even 
by  heathen  nations.  Is  it  any  wonder,  then,  that 
Catholics  and  heathens  should  have  imbibed  an 
inveterate  prejudice  against  Protestants  ?  Thank 
God  that  a  brighter  day  seems  to  be  dawning 
upon  some  portions,  at  least,  of  the  Protestant 
world. 

Our  remarks,  so  far,  have  had  reference  to  the 
state  of  things  in  Asia,  Africa,  and  Europe.  How 
is  it  in  America  ?  As  to  Mexico  and  South  Ame- 
rica, so  far  as  pure  religion  is  concerned,  and  the 
general  state  of  morals,  there  seems  to  be  nothing 
to  relieve  the  general  gloom.  What  cruelties 
were  perpetrated  by  the  Spanish  conquerors  of 
Mexico  and  South  America  toward  the  hapless 
natives  of  these  countries !  To  convert  them  to 
Christianity,  their  inhuman  conquerors  held  the 
crucifix  in  one  hand,  and  the  sword  in  the  other, 
commanding  them  to  bow  and  kiss  the  crucifix, 
or  feel  the  point  of  the  sword.  And  when  tJms 
converted,  they  were  reduced  to  a  state  of  vas- 
salage more  degrading  than  that  of  the  negi-o 
slave  in  our  own  country — they  were  instantly 
doomed  to  all  the  drudgery  of  working  the  gold 
and  silver  mines  of  the  country,  tilling  the  soil, 
or  otherwise  performing  menial  services  for  their 
haughty  conquerors. 


204  STATE   OF  THE  WORLD. 

What  has  been  the  result  of  all  this  ?  Alas  for 
the  state  of  religion  and  morals  in  those  ill-fated 
countries  !  Intolerance  reigns  triumphant,  ^■ice  of 
almost  all  sorts  degrades  both  the  clergy  and 
laity,  while  sanguinary  wars  have  drenched  the 
soil  with  human  blood.  A  land  blessed  with  a 
genial  climate,  a  rich  soil,  many  of  its  mountains 
and  rivers  impregnated  with  silver  and  gold,  and 
yielding  every  vegetable  fruit  almost  sponta- 
neously, cursed  with  a  system  of  religion  as  heart- 
less as  that  of  the  Hottentots,  with  a  tyranny  as 
relentless  as  the  Turkish,  and  with  morals  as  low 
as  the  haram  of  Constantinople !  Is  this  picture 
too  highly  coloured  ?  Let  the  records  of  the  con- 
quest and  its  subsequent  history  answer.  It 
would  seem  indeed  as  if  a  reaction  of  Divine  Pro- 
vidence was  exemplified  toward  the  states  of 
South  America  and  Mexico,  in  punishment  of 
their  treacherous  cruelty  toward  the  natives — na- 
tives whom  they  inhumanly  butchered,  conquer- 
ed, enslaved,  and  converted  to  the  Catholic  faith 
by  a  process  as  unlike  the  apostolic  example  as 
the  Koran  is  unlike  the  Bible.  Hence  the  com- 
mand issued  respecting  another  people,  "  Give 
them  blood  to  drink,  for  they  are  worthv,"  seems 
to  have  been  executed  upon  them.  Ever  since 
the  revolutions  which  emancipated  these  provin- 
ces from  the  dominion  of  Spain,  there  has  been 


UNITED  STATES.  205 

revolution  after  revolution ;  one  chieftain  rising 
up  and  supplanting  another,  and,  in  achieving  his 
object,  shedding  the  blood  of  the  unhappy  peo- 
ple like  water.     0  God !  how  long  shall  this  be  ? 

They  are  nevertheless  objects  of  commisera- 
tion, and  demand  the  pious  exertions  of  the  Chris- 
tian missionary.  The  way,  indeed,  seems  to  be 
opening  for  the  entrance  of  the  Gospel  into  that 
land  of  superstition,  where  the  people  have  been 
taught  to  worship  the  Virgin  Mary  as  the  mother 
of  God,  and  to  eat  the  wafer  as  the  real  soul, 
body,  and  divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ! 

How  is  it  in  the  United  States?  Every  man 
is  supposed  to  be  partial  to  the  land  of  his  birth, 
the  land  of  his  forefathers,  the  home  of  his  child- 
hood and  manhood.  Making  all  due  allowance 
for  this  partiality,  I  presume  to  say  that  there  is 
not,  nor  ever  has  been,  any  country  so  favoura- 
ble to  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  and  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  Christian  and  benevolent  institu- 
tions, as  the  United  States.  Here  the  tree  of 
liberty  was  early  planted ;  here  it  has  been  water- 
ed, nursed,  and  pruned ;  here  it  has  accordingly 
grown  and  flourished,  until  its  spreading  branches 
have  extended  all  over  our  free  soil,  so  that  un- 
der its  umbrageous  foliage  the  weary  sons  and 
daughters  of  men  may  shelter  themselves,  while 
the  stormy  blasts  are  passing  over  the  old  world. 


206  STATE   OF  THE  TTORLD. 

Here  also  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  was  early 
planted,  and  it  has  imparted  its  sap  to  nourish 
the  tree  of  liberty,  and  they  have  mutually  sup- 
ported and  fed  each  other,  and  they  are  now 
calmly  reposing  under  the  shadow  of  His  wing 
which  formerly  sheltered  the  children  of  Israel 
in  the  wilderness. 

But  even  here,  under  all  these  advantages, 
there  are  many  vices  to  correct,  and  much  infi- 
delity to  be  conquered.  The  aborigines  of  our 
country  are  to  be  reclaimed,  converted,  and  civi- 
lized; the  slaves  are  to  be  emancipated  and 
saved ;  and  though  the  good  work  of  converting 
the  natives  has  been  begun  with  encouraging  suc- 
cess, there  remains  much  to  be  accomplished  be- 
fore the  "  wilderness  shall  blossom  as  the  rose." 
But  I  need  not  speak  more  particularly  of  the 
state  of  things  here,  as  it  is  generally  understood 
by  most  of  my  readers,  and  it  has  been  sufficient- 
ly adverted  to  in  my  former  chapters.  It  only 
remains,  therefore,  for  the  evangelical  denomina- 
tions to  exert  themselves  unitedly,  with  becoming 
diligence  and  exemplary  piety,  that  they  may  se- 
cure a  complete  triumph  to  pure  Christianity  ia 
our  own  happy  land. 

The  above  imperfect  \-iew  of  the  state  of  the 
world  will  show  what  Christians  have  to  do  be- 
fore the  "new  heaven  and  tlie  new  earth"  are 


PROGRESS  OF  CIVILIZATION.  207 

created.  And  they  may  make  a  calculation,  if 
able,  from  what  has  been  done,  and  is  now  doing, 
and  strive  to  ascertain  how  long  it  will  be  before 
that  grand  event  shall  arrive.  But  such  a  calcu- 
lation would  present  too  slow  a  process,  and  too 
discouraging  a  prospect,  for  the  lively  and  strong 
faith  of  the  holy  Christian  to  look  at.  He  de- 
rives his  faith  and  fomids  his  hope,  not  merely 
on  past  events,  on  the  history  of  what  God  has 
heretofore  done,  but  more  especially  on  what  God 
has  promised  to  do,  and  from  what  arises  out  of 
the  present  aspect  of  things.  Such  a  time  as  the 
present  never  before  was  beheld  by  mortal  man. 
Not  only  the  general  state  of  the  world  is  favour- 
able for  the  advancement  of  pure  religion,  but 
everything  in  the  civihzed  world  seems  to  favour 
the  progress  of  the  Gospel.  Steamboats,  rail- 
roads, the  electric  telegraph,  all  facilitate,  not 
only  commerce,  political  and  artistical  knowledge, 
but  may  be  made  subservient  to  the  extension  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  Never  was  there  a 
time  when  it  could  be  said  with  so  much  truth, 
to  the  missionaries  of  the  cross,  *'  Go,  ye  swift 
messengers,"  to  every  part  of  the  habitable  globe, 
as  the  present.  Never  was  there  a  time  like  the 
present  when  the  flying  angel  mentioned  in  the 
Apocalypse  could  so  literally  fulfil  his  high  mis- 
sion, by  "  FLYING  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having 


208  STATE   OF  THE  WORLD. 

the  everlasting  Gospel  to  preach  unto"  the 
dwellers  upon  the  earth,  in  the  seas,  and  the 
islands  of  the  seas.  News  may  be  spread  with 
the  speed  of  lightning,  and  the  "  swift  messen- 
gers" may  go  with  all  the  velocity  of  steamboats 
and  railroads  from  land  to  land,  from  island  to 
continent,  and  everywhere  proclaim  the  glad 
news  of  salvation. 

In  my  next  I  shall  endeavour  to  present  some 
more  facts  to  show  the  encouraging  prospect 
arising  out  of  the  present  movements  in  the  Chris- 
tian world  for  the  general  spread  of  the  Gospel. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

statement  of  particular  facts— These  prove  that  evangehcal 
religion  is  reviving — European  revolutions  favourable  to  reli- 
gious toleration — Extracts  of  letters  from  Italy — from  Switzer- 
land— from  Hungary — from  Germany — These  all  indicate  a  re- 
vival of  godliness — Meeting  of  evangelical  ministers  in  Wit- 
tenberg— A  spirit  of  union  prevails— These  facts  prove  that 
pure  religion  is  advancing — The  fire  of  Divine  love  will  burst 
forth  suddenly,  and  consume  all  before  it. 

In  addition  to  the  general  view  presented  in  my 
last,  I  wish  to  state  some  particular  facts,  for  the 
purpose  of  strengthening  the  faith  and  animating 
the  hope  of  the  sincere  Christian.  These  facts 
arise  out  of  the  movements  which  are  makinor  ia 


EUROPEAN   REVOLUTIONS.  209 

dififerent  parts  of  the  world  in  favour  of  pure, 
heart-felt  religion. 

The  revolutions  which  have  occurred  during 
the  past  few  years  in  France,  in  Germany,  Prus- 
sia, and  Italy,  have  all  been  favourable  to  the 
principles  of  religious  toleration,  and  of  course 
to  the  propagation  of  evangelical  religion.  Hence 
in  Hungary,  in  Germany,  in  France,  and  even  in 
Italy,  in  Rome  itself,  the  very  seat  of  the  Pope, 
as  well  as  in  Switzerland,  evangelical  ministers 
have  risen  up  in  the  strength  of  God,  and  pro- 
claimed aloud,  for  a  time  at  least,  the  pure  truths 
of  the  Gospel.  It  would  appear  that  there  was  a 
general  and  simultaneous  impulse  felt  among  the 
different  bands  of  pious  Christians  in  favour  of 
experimental  and  practical  piety. 

In  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  this  statement, 
I  will  quote  the  following  extracts  from  corre- 
spondents who  write  for  the  "  Christian  Union," 
a  periodical  published  under  the  patronage  of 
the  American  branch  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance 
— a  work  intrusted  to  the  immediate  editorship 
of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Baird,  whose  catholic  spirit  com- 
mends him  to  all  sincere  Christians  as  a  "  brother 
beloved,"  and  guarantees  the  character  of  the 
work  he  edits,  as  containing  nothing  inconsistent 
with  impartial  truth  and  brotherly  affection.  A 
correspondent,  writing  from  Florence,  afteff 
14 


210  STATE   OF  THE   WORLD. 

making  some  general  remarks  on  the  state  of 
things  in  Italy,  says  : — 

"  That  which  impresses  me  most  favourably,  upon  my 
inquiries  into  the  religious  affairs  of  Italy,  is  a  manifest 
awakening  among  pious  Protestants  throughout  the 
country,  in  reference  to  their  duty  towards  Romanists. 
I  believe  this  to  be  a  revival  of  the  spirit  of  Christ  in 
their  hearts,  because  it  expresses  itself  in  great  charity 
towards  the  misguided  people ;  in  judicious  efforts  to  en- 
lighten them,  and  reach  their  consciences  by  truth,  with- 
out drawing  them  into  ecclesiastical  controversy:  and 
in  prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon 
themselves  as  well  as  others.  I  frequently  hear,  from 
persons  not  interested  in  the  conversion  of  Romanists, 
the  most  contemptuous  remarks  in  reference  to  our  Pro- 
testant efforts,  and  the  accusation  of  bitterness  and  in- 
tolerance brought  against  the  agents  in  them.  But  such 
persons  are  strangers  to  the  little  reunions  where  these 
matters  are  discussed.  Would  they  but  attend  one  such 
gathering,  or  converse  to  the  point  with  individuals  en- 
gaged in  these  movements,  they  would  very  quickly  feel 
their  own  spirit  reproved  in  reference  to  both  parties. 
Such  I  have  knowTi  to  be  the  case  in  more  than  one  in- 
stance. 

"  At  all  the  reunions  Avhich  I  have  had  the  pleasure 
of  attending  in  Italy,  and  also  in  conversation  with  mem- 
bers of  different  Protestant  communions,  I  have  been  im- 
pressed with  the  evidence  that  God  is  moving  upon  the 
hearts  of  his  children  here  to  make  them  of  one  mind  and 
spirit  in  view  of  the  coming  of  his  kingdom." 

This  proves  that  a  spirit  is  stirring  the  hearts 
of  Christians  in  Italy,  which,  if  it  be  not  repress- 


SWITZERLAND.  211 

ed  by  the  hand  of  bigoted  intolerance  on  the  one 
hand,  nor  smothered  by  dead  formalism  on  the 
other,  nor  yet  kindled  by  the  fire  of  bitter  zeal 
against  Roman  Catholics,  will  yet  burst  forth  in 
flames  of  divine  love  towards  all  men,  and  evince 
the  purity  of  its  source  and  the  strength  of  its 
principle  in  acts  of  beneficence  to  the  souls  and 
bodies  of  men. 

Another  correspondent  writes  as  follows  con- 
cerning the  state  of  things  in  Switzerland.  Af- 
ter giving  a  short  account  of  the  hypocrisy  mani- 
fested by  most  of  the  professors  of  religion,  after 
the  establishment  of  the  national  Church,  in  stig- 
matizing the  "  true  believers  as  Momiers,  or  in 
more  polite  terms,  Methodistes,'*  the  writer  adds 
the  following  remarks : — 

"  You  must  not  suppose,  however,  that  everything  is 
dark  and  gloomy  in  the  present  condition  of  the  Canton 
of  Vaud.  That  God  who  can  draw  good  out  of  evil,  and 
has  promised  to  be  with  his  children  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world,  has  not  left  himself  without  witnesses  here. 
If  the  men  of  the  world  are  exhibiting  more  and  more 
plainly  the  materialism  by  which  they  are  guided,  the 
little  flock  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  following  in  the  foot- 
steps of  their  Divine  Leader,  are  daily  evincing  an  increase 
of  love,  faith,  and  knowledge.  The  Free  Church — al- 
though oppressed,  deprived  of  all  liberty  and  publicity 
in  the  services  of  divine  worship,  compelled  in  most  of 
the  parishes  to  assemble  in  secret  for  prayer  and  preach- 
ing, separated  from  its  chobcn  pastors,  who  are  di*aggcd 


212  STATE   OF  THE   WORLD. 

away  like  criminals  by  the  soldiery  of  the  State— is  never- 
theless prospering  in  the  greater  number  of  the  locations 
where  it  has  been  established. 

"  Nationalism  is  giving  way  to  independence,  formal- 
ism to  life,  traditional  errors  to  a  more  enlightened 
knowledge  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  to  Christian  free- 
dom. The  pastors  hare  been  brought  nearer  to  their 
people  by  the  bonds  of  sympathy  and  daily  connexion. 
They  have  become  real  pastors,  spiritual  conductors, 
who  are  consulted  and  appealed  to,  not  only  in  the  hour 
of  death,  but  in  seasons  of  interaal  doubts  and  difficul- 
ties, of  outward  joy,  or  of  ti'ouble  and  mourning.  The 
eldei-s  and  deacons  (whose  very  names  were  scarcely 
known  a  few  years  since)  are  of  the  utmost  utility  in 
the  Free  Church,  in  assisting,  and,  when  necessary,  tak- 
ing the  place  of  the  pastors,  when  the  latter  are  expelled 
from  their  parishes  by  the  public  authorities.  The  con- 
gregations feel  that  the  breath  of  life  exists  among 
them  ;  they  are  no  longer  silent  bodies,  listening  only, 
and  leaving  to  other  hands  the  care  of  their  salvation. 
The  members  of  the  Church  arc  making  progress  in  all 
respects ;  and  in  general  they  feel  it  to  be  a  privilege  to 
suffer  for  the  name  of  Christ.  There  is  certainly  a 
bright  prospect  before  the  Free  Church  of  the  Canton  of 
Vaud,  in  spite  of  all  the  persecutions  of  its  foes." 

Even  in  Hungary,*  a  country  wliich  Austria  is 
endeavouring  to  crush  by  her  arms,  it  appears 
that  the  spirit  of  true  piety  is  reviving.     The 

'^  Since  the  above  was  written,  the  Hungarians  have  been 
crushed  by  the  united  forces  of  Austria  and  Russia,  and 
their  liberties,  for  the  present,  annihilated :  but  still  the 
spirit  of  liberty,  though  apparently  suhdued,  yet  breathes 
its  aspirations  to  Heaven,  and  uill,  I  humbly  trust,  sooner 


HUNGARY.  213 

writer,  after  expatiating  upon  the  means  used 
by  the  enemies  of  vital  religion  to  abridge  the 
Protestants  of  their  liberties,  says  that  Satan 
could  not  by  these  means  "  prevent  the  return 
of  hope."  And  to  show  the  independent  spirit 
by  which  the  clergy  are  actuated,  though  poor 
as  respects  this  world's  goods,  he  recounts  the 
manner  in  which  they  rejected  a  tempting  offer 
of  the  Papal  government  to  furnish  them  with  a 
"public  salary."  After  discussing  the  subject 
in  two  separate  synods,  acting  independently 
and  without  the  knowledge  of  each  other,  they 
unanimously,  and  at  length  conjointly,  resolved 
to  decline  the  proffered  aid,  assigning  the  fol- 
lowing as  their  reasons  : — 

"  Christ  hath  provided  for  us  all  that  was  necessary 
for  our  temporal  estate,  during  long  centuries  of  perse- 
cution ;  He  will  not  now  forsake  us.  As  to  the  govern- 
ment, kindly  disposed,  no  doubt,  but  nevertheless  papist, 
sooner  or  later,  as  a  reward  for  the  favour  it  bestows,  it 
would  insinuate  itself  hito  the  internal  government  of 


or  later,  receive  an  answer,  and  God  will  proclaim  their 
emancipation.  Indeed,  the  despotism  seems  to  be  regaining 
its  ascendency ;  yet  it  is  certain  that  it  will  not  long  hold 
its  dominion,  but  will  itself  fall  under  its  own  weight, 
when  the  human  mind  shall  be  emancipated  from  its  thral- 
dom, and  the  principles  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  shall 
be  universally  established.  Let  all  the  lovers  of  God  fer- 
vently pray  for  this  consummation. 


214  STATE   OF  THE  WORLD. 

our  Church.    We  cannot,  like  Esau,  sell  our  birthright 
for  a  mess  of  pottage." 

What  pious  heart  can  avoid  honouring,  and  at 
the  same  time  deeply  sympathizing  with,  this 
devout  band  of  Protestants,  who,  while  strug- 
gling imder  the  double  pressure  of  poverty  and 
tyranny,  nobly  disdained  to  accept  the  pecuniary 
assistance  offered  them,  lest  it  might  be  a  means 
of  their  conniption,  by  giving  their  enemies  a 
pretence  for  meddling  with  the  internal  affairs 
of  their  Church ! 

In  Germany,  the  signs  of  the  times  seem  to 
indicate  spiritual  prosperity.  Had  I  room  I 
should  like  to  quote  the  entire  speech  of  Mr. 
W^ichern,  in  which  he  urged  the  necessity  of 
forming  a  Home  Mission,  more  especially  for 
the  benefit  of  the  poor,  and  particularly  the 
journeymen  mechanics :  "  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  them,"  he  said,  *'were  compelled  to 
wander  about  in  search  of  employment,"  and 
were  thus  exposed  to  all  the  allurements  of  vice, 
and  to  the  corrupting  influence  of  an  infidel 
philosophy  with  which  the  country  abounds. 
The  following  account  of  a  meeting  in  behalf  of 
the  Home  Mission  will  show  the  spirit  by  which 
this  veteran  of  the  cross  of  Christ  is  animated : — 

"  In  the  public  meeting,  -which  was  soon  after  held  in 
Hamburg,  for  the  promotion  of  the   Home  Mission, 


GERMANY.  215 

Candidate  Wichem  bore  testimony  to  the  Christian 
zeal  and  self-sacrificing  devotion  with  which  Miss  Sieve- 
king,  of  that  city,  had  long  laboured  to  promote  the 
spiritual  well-being  of  her  towns-people,  and  the  success 
which  had  attended  her  unwearied  efforts  in  the  forma- 
tion of  a  Female  Visiting  Society,  in  establishing 
schools  for  the  young,  and  asylums  for  the  old,  in  which 
not  only  their  bodily  but  their  soul-necessities  met  the 
most  evangelical  attention.  He  likewise  noticed  the 
fearless  and  zealous  exertions  of  the  Rev.  G.  Oncken, 
Baptist  minister  in  Hamburg ;  and,  while  avowing  his 
dissent  from  the  reverend  gentleman  on  the  subject 
of  infant  baptism,  he  bore  glad  and  just  testimony  to 
the  truly  Gospel  preaching  and  practice  of  that  confes- 
sor, and  even  martyr,  for  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  in 
those  evil  days — now,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  forever  past — 
of  Hamburg's  persecuting  oligarchy. 

"  He  further  stated,  that  a  Berlin  clergyman  having 
avowed  his  desire  to  labour  for  the  Home  Mission,  but 
his  ignorance  of  how  it  might  best  be  accomplished, '  I 
told  him,'  said  Wichem, '  to  follow  the  example  of  our 
English  brethren;  to  place  himself  at  the  comer  of 
some  street,  and  preach  Christ  crucified  to  all  the  pas- 
sers by.  But  it  is  not  clerical  missionaries  only,  nor 
even  chiefly,  that  we  want,'  continued  Mr.  "Wichem ; 
*  we  want  lay  preachers,  and  that  of  every  class.  We 
want,  as  Lord  Ashley  most  truly  said,  in  respect  of 
London,  '  neither  money  nor  old  clothes,  but  living  men, 
to  penetrate  to  the  homes  and  hearts  of  the  poor.' 
The  blight  of  infidelity  has  fallen  on  our  land  chiefly 
through  the  instrumentality  of  an  artisan  propaganda ; 
it  must  be  met  by  the  counteracting  influence  of  a 
Christian  artisan  propaganda.  We  must  have  believing 
Bchoolmasters,  believing  handicraftsmen  of  every  grade 


216  STATE    OF   THE   WORLD. 

and  description,  wlio.  from  love  to  God  and  the  sonls  of 
men,  will  go  among  those  of  their  own  occupation,  and 
labour  to  displace  the  rank  and  poisonous  weeds  of 
false  doctrine  and  licentious  practice,  by  the  '  good  seed 
of  the  word.'  If  the  people  will  not  come  to  the  Gospel, 
then  truly,  as  Lord  Ashley  says, '  We  must  carr}'  the 
Gospel  to  the  people ;'  and  if  we  seek  to  know  how 
England,  of  all  European  countries,  has  escaped  revolu- 
tion, we  may  see  in  her  Sunday-schools,  her  city  mis- 
sions, her  freely  preached  and  generally  received  Chris- 
tianity, the  sole,  the  all-sufl&cient  solution  of  the 
problem.  Even  in  our  own  sphere,  experience  has 
taught  us  in  late  years  a  weighty  lesson  ;  and  the  report 
of  our  brother,  Candidate  Gleiss,  respecting  his  attempted 
city  mission  during  1847,  may  well  confirm  our  hopes 
and  stimulate  our  endeavours.  From  this  report  it  ap- 
pears that  two  hundred  and  thirty  families  have  been 
visited,  during  the  past  year,  in  one  subm-b  of  Hamburg 
alone,  and  that  chiefly  with  the  ostensible  object  of  inquir- 
ing what  children  would  be  disposed  to  attend  Sunday- 
schools.  And  although  suspicion,  and  even  dislike  and 
repulsion,  occasionally  met  the  first  approaches  of  the 
Christian  visitant,  yet  these  were  speedily  overcome  by 
the  conviction  which  persevering,  disinterested  kindness 
never  fails  to  bring  home  to  the  most  obdurate  bosom. 
The  visits  of  Mr.  Gleiss  are  now  looked  forward  to  with 
eager  pleasure  by  many  a  household,  who  at  first 
scowled  upon  him  with  a  most  repelling  coldness ;  and 
such  will  be,  undoubtedly,  the  cheering  result  of  a  more 
extended  Home  Mission.  Let  us  try  to  show,  as  well 
as  to  feel,  love  for  those  who  have  erred  from  the  right 
way ;  and  He  who  loveth  mercy  better  than  sacrifice 
will  doubtless  bless  the  attempt.'  'But  let  it  not  be 
supposed,'  continued  Mr.  Wichem,  '  that  the  Christian 


ITALY. 


217 


missionary  duty  is  all  without  doors.  Every  family  has 
a  sphere  of  its  own  ;  and  by  family  worship,  instruction 
of  children  and  servants,  and  the  conscientious  per- 
formance of  every  relative  duty,  should  contribute  its 
share  to  '  leavening  the  whole  lump'  of  society  with 
Christian  principle.'  The  result  of  this  meeting,  which 
was  not  only  numerous,  but  comprised  the  elite  of 
Hamburg's  population,  was  the  formation  of  a  society 
pledged  to  the  promotion  of  the  Home  Mission  by  every 
practicable  means. 

"  One  lady  undertook  the  personal  instruction  of 
twelve  destitute  children.  Others  joined  themselves  to 
Sunday-schools  already  formed,  or  avowed  a  readiness 
to  assist  in  forming  new  ones.  Subsequent  meetings 
have  been  occupied  in  suggesting  and  maturing  various 
schemes  of  city  missionary  labour ;  and  the  spirit  of 
Christian  charity,  thus  powerfully  aroused,  and  sup- 
ported by  the  daily  accumulating  proofs  of  pressing 
necessity,  will  doubtless,  within  a  brief  space  of  time, 
assume  a  form  and  substance,  before  whose  illuminating 
and  warming  influence  the  spirit  of  darkness  will  re- 
treat abashed." 

These  extracts  prove  most  incontestably  that 
the  spirit  of  evangelical  religion  is  reviving  in 
the  hearts,  and  exemplifying  itself  in  the  practice, 
of  God's  ministers  and  people  in  those  countries. 
Recently,  also.  Dr.  Baird  informs  us  that  a  Bible 
Society,  auxiliary  to  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society,  has  been  formed  in  one  of  the 
chief  cities  in  Italy,  and  that  English,  Ameri- 
cans, Swiss,  French,   and  Itahans  took  part  in 


218  STATE   OF  THE   WORLD. 

its  organization.  "  This,"  he  says,  "is  the  first 
Bible  Society,  as  far  as  our  knowledge  extends, 
that  has  ever  been  formed  in  Italy  proper." 
We  most  heartily  join  in  the  prayer  of  Dr.  Baird, 
that  this  organization  may  be  succeeded  by  that 
of  hundreds  of  others,  before  very  many  years 
shall  have  passed  away." 

In  a  subsequent  number  of  the  same  work, 
namely,  for  May,  1849,  I  find  an  account  of  a 
meeting  of  Evangehcal  Clergymen  in  Witten- 
berg, the  very  place  where  Luther  published, 
Oct.  21,  1517,  the  ninety-five  theses,  so  cele- 
brated as  the  beginning  of  the  Reformation,  to 
concert  measures  for  the  spread  of  pure  religion 
throughout  Germany,  Many  great  and  good 
men  were  there.  The  conference  lasted  three 
days.     Dr.  Baird  says  : — 

"  Its  object  was  emphatically  the  promotion  of  Chris- 
tian Union.  There  were  present  men  from  the  four 
principal  Protestant  communions  of  Germany, — the 
Lutherans,  the  Reformed,  the  Evangelical  Church,  (a  body 
much  larger  than  all  tte  others,  and  composed  of  those 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  Churches  which  coalesced  in 
the  reign  of  the  late  King  of  Prussia.)  and  the  Moravians. 

"  After  a  free  interchange  of  opinion,  and  no  little 
discussion,  an  Evangelical  Alliance  was  formed,  to  be 
composed  of  all  those  who  shall  declare  their  faith  to  be 
in  accordance  with  the  Confessions  of  their  respective 
Churches  or  Communions,  and  shall  engage  that  their 
acts  in  the  Alliance  assemblies  shall  be  in  conformity 


EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  219 

with  these  confessions.  Such,  in  substance,  is  the  basis 
upon  which  this  movement  rests ;  and  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  form  one  which  would  be  either  more  simple  or 
more  appropriate." 

The  principal  objects  of  this  Evangelical  Al- 
liance were  set  forth  to  be  : — 

"1.  To  shoAv  the  fundamental  unity  of  the  Protestant 
Churches. 

"  2.  To  bear  a  common  testimony  against  the  various 
adversaries  of  the  truth. 

"  3.  To  give  mutual  aid  and  advice. 

"  4.  To  mediate  in  case  of  difficulties  which  may  arise 
between  Churches  that  are  members  of  the  Alliance. 

"  5.  To  maintain  and  defend  the  rights  of  the  Protes- 
tant Evangelical  Churches,  secured  to  them  by  the  Em- 
pire, or  by  the  several  governments  of  Germany. 

"  6.  To  give  aid  and  advice  to  isolated  Evangelical 
Churches,  both  in  and  out  of  Germany. 

"  7.  To  promote  and  maintain  union  with  all  the 
Evangelical  Churches  of  Europe  and  the  world. 

"  8.  To  prosecute  works  of  charity,  and  especially 
that  of  Home  Missions,  for  the  evangelization  of  the 
nominally  Christian  world." 

The  following  reflections,  by  Dr.  Baird,  fully 
accord  with  my  own  views  and  feelings : — 

"  Such  are  the  great  objects  of  this  noble  movement ; 
and  it  must  be  confessed  that  they  are  of  the  greatest 
importance.  How  cheering  it  is  to  see  such  a  move- 
ment at  this  time,  commencing  in  the  very  heart  of  Ger- 
many! Blessed  be  God,  a  brighter  day  is  about  to 
dawn  upon  the  world !     Who  can  estimate  the  good 


220  STATE    OF  THE   WORLD. 

which  will  follow  fi-om  such  an  effort  to  bring  together 
the  various  evangelical  branches  of  the  Protestant  Church 
in  Germany,  at  a  time  when  God  is  breaking  down  all 
the  barriers  wliich  have  for  almost  three  centuries  pre- 
vented the  spread  of  the  truth  into  the  Papal  portions 
of  it?  The  new  constitution  of  the  German  Empire 
throws  open  all  parts  of  that  empire  to  the  Gospel,  by 
establishing  religious  liberty.  And,  what  is  still  more 
wonderful,  the  new  constitution  of  the  Austrian  Empire 
throws  open  all  the  portions  of  that  empire  to  all  judi- 
cious efforts  of  the  friends  of  the  truth.  How  wonderful 
this  day !  And  how  appropriate  to  the  times  is  this 
blessed  movement  of  the  evangelical  Christians  of  Ger- 
many to  form  a  Christian  union,  and  unite  their  efforts 
to  promote  the  regeneration  of  nominally  Christian 
lands,  and  especially  their  own  great  country !  May 
God  crown  then*  exertions  with  abundant  success !  "We 
feel  confident  that  he  will.  Already  we  learn  that  the 
conference  at  "Wittenberg  has  produced  good  fruits.  In 
view  of  the  deplorable  spiritual  state  of  Germany,  the 
conference  recommended  days  of  fasting  and  humilia- 
tion, which  have  been  obseiwed  by  many  churches  with 
happy  results.  The  '  Call  to  Repentance,'  a  short  but 
admirable  tract,  addressed  to  all  German  brethren  of  the 
evangelical  communions,  which  the  conference,  before 
its  dissolution,  resolved  to  publish,  is  obtaining  a  wide 
circulation,  and  is  doing  great  good." 

Now  do  not  these  facts,  together  with  the 
cursory  view  heretofore  taken  of  the  general 
state  of  the  world,  present  a  most  encouraging 
prospect  to  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
visibly  foreshadow  the  coming  of  the  Lord  of 


PLEASING  PROSPECTS.  221 

Hosts,  to  scatter  his  enemies,  unbelief  and  sin, 
and  to  gather  his  elect  from  the  four  quarters 
of  the  earth  into  one  fold,  and  to  appoint  over 
it  one  Shepherd,  even  Him  -whose  "  going  forth 
is  from  of  old,  from  everlasting  ?"  These  scat- 
tered groups  of  pious  Christians,  breathing  forth 
their  aspirations  to  Almighty  God  that  His 
kingdom  may  come,  are  not  unlike  to  a  train 
of  powder  that  has  been  laid  for  the  purpose  of 
blowing  up  the  citadel  of  a  besieged  fortress, 
when  no  sooner  is  the  match  applied  than  the 
magazine  takes  fire,  and  the  citadel  is  scattered 
to  the  four  winds  of  heaven  !  These  bands  of 
holy  souls,  scattered  throughout  Europe,  Asia, 
some  parts  of  Africa,  in  America,  and  in  the 
islands  of  the  seas,  uniting  their  prayers  toge- 
ther before  the  throne  of  God — crying,  "  How 
long,  O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not 
judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth  ?" — shall  sooner  or  later  receive  an 
answer  to  their  prayers,  and  God  will  send  the 
fire  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  and  suddenly  a  blaze  of 
pure  love  shall  burst  out  in  every  direction, 
which  will  burn  up  the  "  hay,  wood,  and  stub- 
ble," and  God  will  take  to  himself  the  kingdom, 
and  reign  universal  King  forever  and  ever. 

In  the  next  chapter  I  shall,  by  the  permission 
of  a  gracious  God,  attempt  to  show  what  is  to  be 


222  ADDRESS  TO  METHODISTS. 

done  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  grand  event. 
And  I  beseech  that  no  one  will  pronounce  me  a 
wild  enthusiast  till  he  hears  all  I  have  to  say  on 
this  subject.  "  He  that  beheveth  shall  not 
make  haste." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

We  live  in  an  eventful  era— The  author  confines  his  address  to 
his  own  Church — Increase  of  means  augments  responsibility — 
Wealth  a  blessing  if  used  right — No  sin  in  gold  and  silver,  but 
in  their  abuse— The  blessings  of  life  should  create  gratitude — 
The  manner  in  which  wealth  becomes  a  snare — How  it  may  be 
made  a  blessing — Increase  of  wealth  devolves  high  responsi- 
bility-Surplus wealth  enough  to  liquidate  the  debts  of 
churches— Covetousness  must  be  eradicated. 

That  the  "signs  of  the  times"  call  aloud  for 
renewed  exertions  among  all  Christians,  appears 
indisputable.  But  I  have  no  right  to  speak  to 
any  except  to  those  of  my  own  denomination, 
and  therefore  shall  not  assume  the  task  of  ad- 
monishing, reproving,  or  exhorting  any  but  those 
of  om*  own  communion,  in  regard  to  duty — a 
duty  indeed  of  high  import — of  tremendous  re- 
sponsibility— a  duty  originating  from  the  rela- 
tion we  sustain  to  God,  to  the  world  around  us, 
to  each  other,  as  fellow-Christians  who  have  a 
common  interest  at  stake,  and  who  are  there- 
fore called  upon  to  labour  with  all  fidehty  to 


MEANS  OF  DOING  GOOD.  223 

advance  this  interest  by  every  lawful  means 
•within  our  power. 

In  the  view  we  have  taken  of  the  present 
state  of  the  Church,  compared  with  what  it  was 
formerly,  we  have  seen  the  vast  improvements 
which  have  been  made  in  temporal,  intellectual, 
and  spiritual  enjoyments — how  God  has  merci- 
fully enlarged  our  borders,  increased  our  sub- 
stance, and  in  a  variety  of  ways  multipHed  our 
resources  and  capabilities  of  doing  good.  These 
certainly  have  proportionately  augmented  the 
amount  of  our  responsibihty,  imposed  upon  us 
new  and  higher  duties,  and  that  in  exact  pro- 
portion as  we  have  increased  in  wealth,  in  know- 
ledge, and  spiritual  attainments. 

All  these,  I  grant,  are  but  means,  or  a  power 
put  into  our  hands  for  good  or  evil.  Wealth, 
intellectual  endowments,  literary  advantages  and 
acquirements,  religious  privileges,  and  even  the 
enjoyment  of  religion  itself,  in  its  deepest  and 
most  holy  form,  are  all  but  so-  many  talents, 
with  which  the  God  of  providence  and  grace 
has  intrusted  us,  and  has  commanded  us  to  "oc- 
cupy," or  faithfully  to  improve  them,  until  He 
shall  come  to  call  us  to  an  account.  But  wliile 
it  is  freely  admitted  that  all  these  are  but  means 
to  be  conscientiously  used  for  the  attainment 
of  an  ultimate  end,  it  must,  I  think,  be  also  ad- 


224  ADDRESS  TO    METHODISTS. 

mitted  that  they  are  advantages  of  a  highly- 
beneficial  character — of  such  a  character  as 
should,  and  will,  excite  the  gratitude  of  every  en- 
lightened understanding,  and  of  every  pious  heart. 
Solomon  says,  "  Money  answers  all  things ;" 
but  he  also  says,  "  If  riches  increase,  set  not  thy 
heart  upon  them."  While  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged that  without  money,  that  is,  wealth,  in  a 
greater  or  lesser  degree,  no  extensive  good  can 
be  achieved,  no  churches  built,  no  colleges  erect- 
ed and  endowed,  no  professors  supported,  and 
of  course  no  students  educated,  no  missions  es- 
tablished and  sustained,  no  Bibles  printed  and 
circulated,  nor  any  other  good  books  issued  and 
read,  no  Sabbath-schools  conducted,  and  finally 
no  ministers  supported — I  say,  that  while  it  is 
self-evident  that  all  these  things  involve  the 
necessity  of  wealth,  they  equally  demonstrate 
that  a  spiiit  of  liberality  must  accompany  its 
possession,  and  characterize  its  possessor,  in  or- 
der to  avoid  that  inordinate  love  of  riches  indi- 
cated by  the  wise  man  when  he  exhorted  his 
readers  not  to  set  their  heart  upon  them.  There 
is  no  sin  in  riches,  any  more  than  there  is  virtue 
in  poverty.  The  poor  man  may  be  as  vicious  in 
his  poverty,  and  manifest  all  the  malignity  of 
an  unsanctified  heart,  by  indulging  an  envious 
disposition    toAvurd   his     richer  neighbour,  and 


J 


RIGHT  USE  OF  MOXEY.  225 

evince  all  the  idolatry  which  the  apostle  denomi- 
nates covetousness  to  be,  just  as  effectually  as 
the  rich  man  may  exhibit  the  malevolence  of  his 
unholy  nature  by  that  proud  disdainfulness  with 
which  he  looks  down  upon  the  poor  man,  neglect- 
ing and  despising  him  on  account  of  his  poverty, 
and  by  refusing  to  give  of  his  abundance  to 
"  make  the  heart  of  the  widow  and  fatherless  to 
rejoice"  at  the  reception  of  his  bounty. 

I  said  that  there  is  no  sin  in  riches.  The  sin 
consists  in  so  setting  our  hearts  upon  them  as  to 
make  them  our  god,  or  our  chief  good — in  lay- 
ing them  up  as  our  treasures — in  using  them, 
or  rather  in  abusing  them,  as  instruments  for 
selfish,  luxurious,  and  sensual  purposes.  Surely 
there  is  no  sin  in  gold  or  silver,  nor  in  any  of 
the  productions  of  the  earth  or  seas  ;  God  indeed 
has  given  us  all  these  things  for  our  comfort,  and 
we  are  allowed  to  ''use  them  as  not  abusing 
them."  He  has  not  only  made  the  earth  pro- 
lific for  the  support  of  man  and  beast,  but  He  has 
beautified  the  heavens  over  our  head,  studded 
the  canopy  with  the  moon  and  innumerable  stars 
to  guide  the  traveller  by  night,  as  well  as  for 
other  grand  and  beneficent  purposes,  and  caused 
the  sun  to  shine  by  day,  not  only  to  exhibit  his 
own  ineffifible  majesty,  but  also  for  the  benefit  of 
his  intelligent  ^.ndl  uniatelligent  creatures,  ^^j 


226  ADDRESS  TO  METHODISTS. 

These  things  considered,  I  do  not  like  to  hear 
a  Christian  man  speak  contemptuously  of  the 
worid,  understanding  that  term  as  including 
"whatever  God  has  made,  and  as  excluding  what- 
ever is  sinful  in  the  world.  If,  when  we  say  we 
despise  the  world,  we  mean  the  sinful  world,  let 
us  say  so,  and  thus  spare  that  beautiful  world 
which  God  has  made  for  our  habitation,  and  so 
richly  furnished  with  everything  needful  for  life 
and  comfort.  I  never  yet  knew  a  man  or  woman, 
however  devout  and  holy,  but  what  would  eat  his 
or  her  meal  of  victuals,  when  hungry,  with  as  ex- 
quisite a  zest,  and  drink  water,  when  thirsty,  with 
as  keen  a  relish,  and  enjoy  as  much  the  luxury  of 
a  warm  and  comfortable  room  in  cold  weather,  as 
any  other  person  ;  and  they  vrould  be  fools  if  they 
did  not,  for  our  heavenly  Father  has  wisely  and 
benevolently  furnished  us  with  all  these  things  for 
our  benefit.  And  he  that  can  look  abroad  upon 
the  earth,  and  view  its  variegated  productions, 
and  lift  his  eye  to  the  heavens  and  behold  the 
sun,  moon,  and  stars,  without  feeling  his  heart 
kindled  by  the  fires  of  devotion,  and  his  soul 
drawn  out  in  streams  of  gratitude  to  the  great 
Architect  of  heaven  and  earth,  I  envy  not  his 
enjoyment. 

Forgive  this  seeming  digression  from  the  main 
subject  under  consideration,  for  I  could  hardly 


ABUSE   OF   WEALTH.  227 

avoid  this  short  tribute  of  praise  to  God  for  thus 
fitting  up  this  beautiful  world  for  the  residence 
of  man,  and  for  thus  opening  so  many  sources 
of  enjoyment — enjoyment  not  unworthy  of  the 
most  holy,  sanctified  Christian. 

I  was  about  to  say,  that  if  God  has  said,  "  The 
hand  of  the  diligent  maketh  rich,"  he  has  said, 
with  equally  emphatic  language,  "Lay  not  up 
for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth."  The  sin, 
therefore,  of  the  rich  man  does  not  consist  in  tlie 
simple  fact  of  his  having  an  abundance  of  wealth, 
but  in  his  laying  it  up  for  himself y  instead  of  em- 
ploying it  for  the  glory  of  God,  by  dispersing  it 
abroad,  clothing  the  naked,  feeding  the  hungry, 
supporting  missions,  and  in  all  other  works  of 
benevolence  and  charity. 

Here  then  lies  the  sin  of  wealth.  It  consists 
in  hoarding  it  up,  or  in  spending  it  in  extravagant 
living,  in  sumptuous  furniture,  in  loading  our 
tables  with  needless  luxuries,  in  adorning  our 
persons  with  superfluous  ornaments,  and  in 
making  it  an  excuse  for  **  needless  self-indul- 
gence," for  living  in  idleness  and  dissipation. 
In  this  way  wealth  becomes  a  snare,  and  naturally 
tends  to  inflate  the  heart  with  pride,  and  to  puff 
up  the  mind  with  the  wind  of  vanity.  And  hence 
there  is,  I  fully  believe,  no  other  cff"octual  way 
to  prevent  these  sad  eff'ects  but  for  the  rich  man 


228"  ADDRESS  TO   METHODISTS. 

to  get  and  to  keep  his  heart  right  toward  God, 
to  obtain  the  sanctification  of  his  affections,  and 
then  he  will  consecrate  his  all,  his  wealth  and 
influence,  to  the  cause  of  God.  He  that  does 
this,  the  more  wealth  he  possesses,  the  more  use- 
ful he  becomes.  The  more  influence  he  wields 
in  consequence  of  his  wealth — for,  in  spite  of 
philosophy,  a  good  man  will  be  honoured  in  pro- 
portion to  his  riches — the  wider  will  be  the  cir- 
cle of  that  influence,  the  more  will  he  draw  in 
his  wake,  and  the  more  vast  will  be  his  reward ; 
for  if  he  that  giveth  only  "  a  cup  of  cold  water 
to  any,  in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  shall  not  lose 
his  reward,"  how  great  shall  be  the  reward  of 
that  holy  rich  man  who  consecrates  all  that  he 
can  spare  from  his  own  immediate  wants  and  the 
wants  of  his  family,  and  after  reserving  a  suffi- 
cient capital  to  carry  on  his  business,  to  the  cause 
of  God,  to  the  demands  of  humanity  ! 

I  have  made  these  remarks  to  show  the  great 
advantages  we  possess  in  consequence  of  our  in- 
crease of  wealth,  and  likewise  to  exhibit  the 
higher  responsibihty  God  has  devolved  upon  us 
to  be  proportionably  useful  in  our  day  and  gene- 
ration. "Where  much  is  given  much  is  re- 
quired." And  I  verily  believe  that  God  has 
prospered  the  work  of  our  hands,  and,  as  the 
fruit  of  honest  industry  and  prudent  economy. 


RIGHT  USE   OF   WEALTH.  229 

has  increased  our  temporal  prosperity,  with  the 
express  design  of  enabUng  us  to  enlarge  the 
sphere  of  our  usefulness,  that  we  may  propor- 
tionably  extend  our  circle  of  doing  good  to  the 
souls  and  bodies  of  our  fellow-men.  All  these 
temporal  goods  are  the  gifts  of  his  beneficence, 
bestowed  upon  us  that  we  may  more  perfectly 
fulfil  the  end  of  our  existence.  Those  among  us, 
therefore,  who  possess  wealth,  hoard  it  up,  be- 
come proud  and  vain,  evince  that  spirit  of  covet- 
ousness  which  the  apostle  ranks  among  idola- 
tries, that  seek  their  own  ease  and  self-aggrandize- 
ment, indulge  in  a  luxurious  mode  of  living,  in- 
stead of  exerting  themselves  to  extend  the  cause 
of  Christ  in  the  various  ways  now  presented  to 
us — those  who  thus  devote  the  wealth  with  which 
God  has  intrusted  them,  will  inherit  the  curse 
instead  of  the  "  blessing  of  him  that  is  ready  to 
perish."  O  how  much  good  might  the  wealthy 
Methodists  do,  were  they  to  consecrate  their  sur- 
plus money  to  the  cause  of  humanity  ! 

If  the  surplus  wealth  possessed  by  the  Metho- 
dists in  the  city  of  New- York — and  I  speak  of 
them  merely  because  I  know  them  better  here 
than  elsewhere — was  devoted  to  the  cause  of  God 
as  it  should  be,  they  Avould  very  soon  liquidate 
the  debts  of  their  churches,  and  have  capital 
enough  left  to  carry  on  their  business,  and  with 


230  ADDRESS  TO   METHODISTS. 

the  ordinary  blessing  of  God  on  the  labour  of 
their  hands,  they  would  still  be  able  to  meet  cur- 
rent expenses,  and  have  Tvithal  to  contribute  their 
proportion  to  send  the  Gospel  to  more  destitute 
parts  of  our  country,  and  to  foreign  lands ;  as 
well  as  to  aid  in  the  cause  of  education,  &c.  And 
the  same  may  be  said,  I  doubt  not,  with  equal 
truth,  in  behalf  of  the  Methodists  very  generally, 
both  in  the  cities  and  country  villages.  The  de- 
fect is  not  in  the  lack  of  abihty,  nor,  in  general, 
of  a  disposition,  but  the  absence  of  a  suitable 
stimulant,  and  a  well-devised  system  of  finance, 
that  should  bear  as  equally  as  may  be  on  all 
concerned. 

That  spirit  of  penuriousness  which  distin- 
guishes some  of  our  more  wealthy  brethren,  both 
in  the  cities  and  country  places,  but  more  par- 
ticularly in  the  latter,  must  be  put  down,  con- 
quered, and  rooted  out,  or  it  "  will  eat  as  doth  a 
canker,"  and  finally  destroy  all  the  good  they 
may  possess.  The  temporal  blessings  which 
they  possess — and  they  possess  them  chiefly  in 
consequence  of  their  becoming  Methodists — must 
be  consecrated  to  God,  if  they  would  secure  the 
continuance  of  the  "  good-will  of  Him  who  dwelt 
in  the  bush." 


I 


BENEVOLENCE.  23 1 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Sanctification  and  benevolence  go  together— Those  in  middling 
circumstances  most  liberal — If  all  were  so,  there  would  be  no 
lack — This  not  done — Why  not — Importance  of  the  subject — 
Methodists  generally  thriving — Covetousness  not  confined  to 
the  rich — To  ascertain  whether  all  give  according  to  their  abi- 
lity, the  missionary  cause  examined — Great  deficiency — The 
same  supposed  in  other  departments — The  duty  of  Uberality 
pressed  upon  all  preachers  and  people. 

In  the  former  chapter  we  have  seen  how  the 
Methodists  have  increased  in  their  means  of  do- 
ing good  by  an  augmentation  of  their  wealth, 
and  hence  the  high  responsibihty  which  rests 
upon  them  of  extending  the  circle  of  their  in- 
fluence in  exact  proportion  to  their  means.  This 
they  unquestionably  will  do,  provided  the  work 
of  sanctification  be  simultaneously  carried  on  in 
their  souls  with  the  increase  of  riches,  for  this 
lioly  work  always  begets  in  the  heart  a  spirit  of 
liberality  which  flows  out  in  acts,  not  only  of 
justice — for  a  sanctified  soul  certainly  exhibits 
this  stern  attribute  of  the  divine  nature  in  all  its 
purity — but  also  in  deeds  of  charity,  displaying, 
on  all  fitting  occasions,  an  expanded  spirit  of 
benevolence. 

Now  I  know  full  well  that  there  are  many 
members  of  our  Church,  both  among  the  rich 
and  poor — and  by  the  poor  I  mean  those  who 


232  BENEVOLENCE. 

live  by  hard  labour,  and  who  nevertheless  are 
not  able  to  lay  up  much,  if  anything,  for  a  fu- 
tiu^e  day — who  have  been,  and  are,  distinguished 
for  their  liberality.  These  are  they  who  are 
ever  ready  to  contribute  of  their  substance  to 
build  churches,  found  colleges,  support  missions, 
and  feed  the  poor,  (ire,  according  to  their  ability  ; 
yea,  they  are  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  do  this, 
knowing  that  they  are  but  stewards  for  God, 
and  that  as  such  they  are  "  required  to  be  faith- 
ful." K  therefore  they  "  let  out  the  Lord's  mo- 
ney," and  they  receive  the  stated  increase,  it  is 
that  they  may  expend  it  the  more  hberally  in 
advancing  the  cause  of  Christianity ;  and  thus 
become  "  rich  in  good  works,  and  are  laying  a 
good  foundation  against  the  time  to  come." 
Such  are  an  honour  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  a 
blessing  to  the  world,  and  the  blessing  of  God 
shall  accompany  them  through  life,  and  he  will 
reward  them  a  hundred-fold,  and  in  the  time  to 
come  they  shall  hav-^  everlasting  life.  And  if 
all  were  equally  liberal,  if  all  would  contribute 
according  to  their  ability,  there  would  be  no 
lack  in  any  department  of  our  work,  none  would 
suffer  in  penury,  no  means  would  be  wanting  to 
send  as  many  men  to  preach  the  Gospel  as  God 
should  raise  up  and  qualify  for  that  purpose  ; 
churches,    colleges,   and    academies   would   be 


DEFICIENT  LIBERALITY.  233 

built,  and  every  minister,  whether  efficient  in  the 
field  of  labour,  or  superannuated,  would  be  com- 
fortably supported. 

But  as  this  is  not  done,  there  must  be  some 
deficiency  somewhere,  among  some  class  or 
classes  of  our  people.  I  think  it  highly  proba- 
ble that  the  fault  is  more  among  the  richer  class 
than  among  those  in  middling  circumstances. 
These  latter,  I  am  inclined  to  beheve,  contribute 
much  more  than  the  former,  in  proportion  to 
their  ability,  for  the  support  of  the  general 
cause.  There  are  those  among  us  whose  wealth 
would  justify  them  in  giving  $20,000  to  found 
a  professorship  in  a  college,  and  then,  after  re- 
serving a  sufficient  capital  to  carry  on  their  busi- 
ness, have  enough  left  to  support  their  families, 
and  to  contribute  their  full  quota  for  the  ordi- 
nary calls  of  the  Church,  who  think  it  a  great 
stretch  of  liberality  to  give  $100  or  $200,  or 
perhaps  $500,  toward  such  an  object.  Let 
such  remember  that  God  requires  of  them  a  due 
proportion  of  what  he  has  bestowed  upon  them  ; 
and  that  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself, 
and  is  not  "  rich  in  faith,"  cannot  be  an  heir  of 
the  grace  of  life.  How  admonitory  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Saviour,  "  How  hardly  shall  they 
that  are  rich  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

I  have  dwelt  the  longer  upon  this  branch  of 


234  BE>'EVULENCK. 

the  subject,  because  I  consider  it  of  vast  impor- 
tance. Wealth  has  naturally  a  corrupting  in- 
fluence. And  I  verily  believe  that  at  this  mo- 
ment the  Methodists  are  in  greater  danger  of 
being  corrupted  by  riches,  than  they  are  of  suf- 
fering from  poverty.  Though  there  may  be,  and 
doubtless  are,  those  among  us  that  are  extremely 
poor,  and  may  therefore  suffer  somewhat  for 
the  lack  of  the  comforts  of  life,  yet  such  are 
comparatively  few — the  most  are  in  thri\'ing  cir- 
cumstances, others  are  abounding  in  wealth; 
and  while  some  of  the  latter  exhibit  in  their  con- 
duct all  the  liberahty  of  noble -hearted,  genuine, 
holy  Christians,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  others 
manifest  that  love  of  the  world  which  is  incom- 
patible with  that  enlarged  love  to  God  which 
characterizes  the  sanctified  heart.  Let  such  be 
admonished  by  the  words  of  the  apostle,  "  They 
that  will  be  rich" — that  u'ill  be  rich,  in  spite  of 
every  demand  of  justice,  tiiith,  and  honesty,  of 
mercy  and  benevolence,  that  make  all  their 
plans  bend  to  the  attainment  of  this  one  object, 
at  the  expense  of  everything  else — they  that 
will  be  thus  rich,  "  fall  into  divers  temptations, 
and  a  snare,  and  into  many  foolish  and  hurtful 
lusts,  which  droAvn  men  in  destruction  and  per- 
dition." If,  instead  of  acquiring  riches  in  the 
exceptionable  way  above  indicated,  wealth  flows 


J 


COVETOUSNESS   CONDEMNED.  235 

in  upon  a  man  as  the  fruit  of  honest  industry 
and  prudent  economy,  and  he  expends  it  to  the 
glory  of  God,  by  contributing  to  build  up  the 
Redeemer's  cause  among  men,  why  then  the 
more  he  gets  the  more  blessed  is  he,  and  "  look, 
what  he  hath  laid  out  shall  be  paid  him  again." 
Not  so  with  the  miser,  who  makes  gold  his  god, 
who  is  "greedy  of  filthy  lucre,"  and  who  hoards 
up  his  wealth  as  the  most  precious  treasure  of 
his  heart. 

But  this  spirit  of  covetousness  does  not  be- 
long exclusively  to  the  rich.  There  may  be 
those  among  the  poorer  class  who  evince  all 
the  spirit  of  avarice ;  who  hug  their  pennies 
as  closely,  and  who  are  as  restless  under  their 
comparative  poverty,  as  they  would  if  they  were 
worth  their  tens  of  thousands.  Such  manifest 
as  much  inordinate  attachment  to  the  world  by 
their  envious  disposition,  by  living  beyond  their 
income,  by  aping  the  manners  of  the  rich,  and 
by  refusing  to  give  according  to  their  ability,  as 
the  rich  miser  does  by  hoarding  up  his  wealth. 
And  I  have  frequently  known  the  comparatively 
poor  man  disgrace  himself  by  making  a  poor 
mouth,  in  order  to  excite  the  compassion  of  his 
more  wealthy  brethren,  that  he  might  filch  from 
them  something  to  supply  his  assumed  wants. 
However  disgusting  this  practice  is  to  the  modest, 


236  BENEVOLENCE. 

upright  mind,  it  is  exemplified,  more  or  less, 
in  every-day  life,  and  it  demonstrates  that  cove- 
tousness  is  not  confined  to  any  one  class,  but  is 
an  inherent  propensity  of  the  human  heart,  and 
shows  itself  as  eflfectually  under  a  plain  garb 
and  a  modest  exterior  as  it  does  under  the  fop- 
pery of  fashion  and  the  lordly  deportment  of 
the  haughty  aristocrat.  Grace — the  grace  of 
God  alone,  in  Christ  Jesus,  operating  upon  the 
heart,  producing  a  radical  change  within,  and 
hallowing  all  the  affections — can  root  out  this 
covetous  disposition,  and  make  "the  churl  a 
liberal  man." 

Now  to  ascertain  whether  the  Methodists,  as 
a  body,  do  their  duty  in  contributing  according 
to  their  ability,  I  will  examine  one  department 
of  benevolence  in  which  they  are  engaged,  and 
are  pledged  to  sustain — I  mean  the  missionary 
department — and  I  select  this  because  it  affords, 
from  its  annual  exhibit  of  income  and  expendi- 
ture, a  more  sure  'datum  to  found  a  calculation 
upon  than  any  other.  From  the  minutes  of 
1848  I  find  the  numbers  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  to  be  008,978 — I  will  say,  for  the 
sake  of  avoiding  fractions,  700,000 — and  from 
the  annual  report  of  the  Missionary  Society  for 
1848,  there  were  collected  878,646  84,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  avoiding  fractions,  we  will  put  it  at 


ROOM   FOR  IMPROVEMENT.  237 

$80,000.  Now  divide  700,000  by  80,000,  it 
will  give  not  quite  nine  cents  each.  This  cer- 
tainly is  a  very  small  amount — an  average  of 
about  nine  cents,  for  each  member  to  contribute. 
And  if  we  recollect  that  some  pay  five,  ten, 
twenty,  fifty,  and  even  one  hundred  dollars  a 
year,  it  will  appear  that  there  are  many  who 
contribute  nothing  at  all.  Who  will  say,  from 
these  facts,  that  the  Methodist  people  give  ac- 
cording to  their  ability  to  sustain  the  missionary 
cause  ? 

Though,  therefore,  there  is  an  encouraging 
improvement  in  this  department  of  benevolence, 
in  comparison  to  what  was  done  twenty  or 
thirty  years  since,  yet  it  is  very  manifest  that 
there  is  room  for  a  much  further  improvement. 
Were  a  regular  system  of  finance  carried  into 
execution,  universally — such  a  system  as  should 
call  forth  the  liberality  of  all,  according  to  each 
one's  ability — I  see  not  why  $350,000  might  not 
be  realized  just  as  easily  as  the  $80,000  has 
been— ^for  this  would  be  only  fifty  cents  each. 

Nor  do  I  suppose  that  a  much  better  result 
would  appear  from  an  examination  of  other  de- 
partments of  benevolence,  such  as  erecting  col- 
leges, and  the'  supporting  supernumerary  and 
superannuated  preachers,  their  widows  and 
orphans.     I  find  from  the  amounts  collected  and 


238  BENEVOLEXCE. 

paid  over  to  these  last-named  claimants  upon 
the  justice  and  charity  of  the  Church,  that  from 
twenty  to  fifty  per  centum  is  all  that  these  most 
worthy  objects  of  our  aflfection  and  veneration 
receive  yearly,  including  the  income  of  the  Book- 
Concern  and  the  Chartered  Fund.  This  defi- 
ciency arises,  in  my  opinion,  more  from  the 
want  of  a  simultaneous  and  systematic  effort 
among  preachers  and  people  to  meet  the  de- 
mand, than  it  does  from  the  lack  of  either  an 
ability  or  disposition  to  supply  the  requisite 
means. 

Now  what  I  wish  to  press  upon  all  concerned, 
both  preachers  and  people — for  there  are  some 
preachers  as  able  to  give  as  any  others,  and  a 
few,  I  fear,  who  evince  as  strong  an  attachment 
to  "filthy  lucre"  as  do  the  most  penurious 
among  the  private  members — is  the  urgent  neces- 
sity, to  prevent  their  riches  from  "eating  as 
doth  a  canker,"  of  their  giving  a  due  proportion 
of  their  goods,  and  that  statedly,  and  according 
to  "  weight  and  measure,"  for  the  support  of 
the  cause  of  God,  in  the  various  departments 
already  indicated.  Instead  of  "  laying  up  trea- 
sure for  themselves,'"  or  hoarding  it  up  for  then: 
posterity, — and  they  know  not  who  shall  come 
after  them,  whether  "  wise  men  or  fools," — let 
them  so  dispose  of  it  as  to  "  lay  up  a  good  foun- 


WEALTH   A  TALENT.  239 

dation  against  the  time  to  come,  that  they  may- 
lay  hold  on  eternal  life."  "  To  the  pure  all 
things  are  pure."  And  those  who  have  purified 
their  souls  from  "  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and 
spirit,"  have  likewise  consecrated  their  all  upon 
the  altar  of  God — have  devoted  to  his  service 
their  time,  their  talent,  their  substance,  and  they 
dare  no  more  use  their  money  for  sensual  grati- 
fication, merely  to  adorn  their  persons,  to  pam- 
per their  appetites,  or  let  it  he  idle,  merely  for 
the  benefit  of  their  posterity,  than  they  can  em- 
ploy their  tongues  to  deceiye,  to  blaspheme  the 
name  of  God,  or  to  defraud  their  neighbour  in  a 
bargain.  The  one  is  as  strictly  prohibited  as 
the  other,  and  therefore  is  as  incompatible  with 
holiness  of  heart  as  any  other  vicious  practice. 

I  greatly  fear  this  subject  is  not  generally 
duly  considered.  Money,  or  wealth,  is  as  much 
a  talent  with  which  we  are  intrusted,  and  for 
the  use  of  which,  therefore,  we  must  give  an 
account,  as  intellect,  as  time,  or  the  various  op- 
portunities of  doing  good  are.  And  a  minister 
of  splendid  endowments,  and  shining  acquire- 
ments, is  no  more  accountable  to  God  for  the 
manner  in  which  he  improves  his  advantages, 
than  the  rich  man  is  for  the  manner  in  which  he 
employs  his  wealth.  And  if  a  minister  should 
be  so  fortunate  as  to  possess,  in  addition  to  his 


240  THE  MINISTRY. 

mental  endowments  and  acquirements,  wealth, 
and  should  exemphfy  the  avarice  of  the  miser, 
the  littleness  of  the  niggard,  and  screw,  and  twist, 
and  oppress  the  poor,  in  order  to  increase  his 
riches,  and  otherwise  demean  himself  in  his 
neighbourhood,  so  as  to  acquire  the  character  of 
a  covetous  man,  he  will  not  only  disgrace  his 
high  and  holy  profession,  but  also  render  him- 
self odious  in  the  estimation  of  every  hberal- 
hearted  Christian,  and  be  a  stumbling-block, 
over  which  sinners  will  stumble  into  hell !  What 
an  awful  consideration  is  this  I  Let  those  who 
are  guilty  think  of  it  in  time  to  repent,  "  lest, 
after  they  have  preached  to  others,  they  them- 
selves should  become  castaways." 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 

Holiness  essential  to  vigorous  action— The  Church  acts  through 
her  ministers — Curse  of  mere  formal  ministers — Learning 
sanctified  by  grace — Advantages  of  the  present  over  former 
ministers — This  increases  responsibihty — Eminent  talents 
compatible  with  deep  piety — Examples  of  this — Does  not  ex- 
clude others — The  whole  pressed  upon  the  reader. 

In  an  effort  to  ascertain  the  responsibility  of  the 
Church,  we  have  been  led  to  estimate  the  more 
ample  means  she  possesses  now  than  fonnerly, 
in  consequence  of  an  increase  of  wealth.  This 
enables  her  to  enlarge  the  sphere  of  her  useful- 


HOLINESS  Essential.  241 

ness  by  multiplying  her  books,  building  churches, 
erecting  colleges,  sending  out  and  sustaining 
missionaries.  But,  after  all,  these  are  but  sub- 
sidiary means,  mere  outward  appliances,  all  of 
which  may  be  used  for  good  or  evil,  and  that  in 
exact  proportion  to  the  motive  with  which  they 
are  used,  or  the  holiness  or  unholiness  of  the 
internal  principle  which  gives  life  and  anima- 
tion to  the  external  machinery.  And  this  mo- 
tive will  be  good  in  the  same  proportion  that 
the  heart  is  made  pure  by  the  sanctifying  ope- 
ration of  the  Holy  Spirit  applying  the  merits  of 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  this  principle  of  action  will 
be  strong  and  vigorous  in  the  exact  proportion 
with  which  it  is  fed  and  strengthened  with  the 
**  bread  that  cometli  down  from  heaven,  and 
giveth  life  unto  the  world  ;"  for  nothing,  indeed, 
hath  such  a  tendency  to  enlighten  the  under- 
standing, to  invigorate  the  heart,  to  set  and 
keep  all  the  intellectual  powers  in  motion,  as 
well  as  to  give  them  a  right  direction,  as  this 
continual  influx  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  this  nourish- 
ing the  soul  with  divine  food.  When  the  heart 
of  the  Church  is  thus  pure,  freed  from  those 
gross  passions  which  defile  the  soul — when 
pride,  anger,  unholy  desire,  the  inordinate  love 
of  the  world,  and  the  supreme  love  of  self  are 
expelled  from  the  heart,  and  meekness,  long- 
IG 


242  THE    MINISTRY. 

suflFering,  a  pure  desire  to  glorify  God,  and  a 
supreme  love  to  Him,  are  implanted  within- 
then  the  Church  is  prepared  to  act  vigorously, 
and  will  put  forth  all  her  energies  to  advance 
the  cause  of  man's  salvation. 

But  the  Church  acts  through  her  representa- 
tives. It  has  always  been  according  to  the 
order  of  God  to  save  the  world  by  means  of  a 
Jiving  ministry.  I  say  a  livinfj  ministry — and 
I  desire  these  words  to  be  understood  most 
emphatically. 

The  greatest  curse  which  ever  came  upon  the 
Church,  and,  of  course,  upon  the  world,  has 
been  the  imposition  of  a  dead,  formal,  lifeless 
ministry  upon  the  Church.  While  the  holy 
fire  which  burned  in  the  hearts  of  the  apostles 
and  primitive  evangelists  continued  its  heat  in 
the  hearts  of  their  successors,  its  radiating  rays 
fell  upon  all  who  came  within  its  influence, 
melting  their  hearts,  and  moulding  them  into 
the  image  of  Jesus  Christ.  Like  electricity, 
which  needs  but  the  power  of  friction  to  call  it 
into  action,  so  this  heavenly  fire,  by  the  con- 
stant action  and  re-action  between  the  ministry 
and  the  people,  reciprocally  affected  each  other, 
and  by  their  simultaneous  exertions  they  were 
instrumental  in  diffusing  the  pure  flame  of  divine 
love  all  around  them.     But  that  this  fire  may 


ITS  PRESENT  ADVANTAGES.  243 

continue  to  burn,  it  must  be  unceasingly  fed 
from  the  altar  of  God.  "  Without  me  ye  can 
do  nothing,"  says  Christ.  And  though  this  is 
true  in  respect  to  all  Christians,  it  is  more  espe- 
cially true  in  regard  to  all  his  ministers.  The 
weapons  of  their  warfare  are  only  "mighty 
through  God."  It  is  therefore  by  constant 
communion  Avith  God,  through  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  that  the  minister  of  the  sanctuary 
is  fully  qualified  to  the  successful  discharge  of 
his  high  and  holy  functions. 

Whatever  may  be  his  natural  or  acquired 
abilities — however  learned,  or  trained  in  the 
school  of  theology — and  how  many  soever  his 
advantages  from  position  or  profession — unless 
he  is  anointed  with  the  Holy  Ghost  to  preach 
the  Gospel,  and  unless  he  daily  and  momenta- 
rily lives  under  the  influence  of  this  same  Holy 
Spirit,  however  canonically  he  may  be  set  apart 
for  the  ministry,  however  orthodox  may  be  his 
creed,  systematic  and  able  his  sermons,  and 
even  outwardly  irreproachable  his  conduct,  he 
is  but  "  dead  while  he  liveth  " — he  belongs  not 
to  the  living  ministry. 

Now  that  the  present  Methodist  ministry 
possess  many  advantages  which  the  earlier  minis- 
ters did  not,  is  fully  evident.  They  have  the 
advantage  of  an  education,  even  allowing  that 


244  THE  MINISTKY. 

tbey  have  not  had  a  collegiate  course  of  mental 
training,  which  most  of  their  predecessors  did 
not  possess.  It  is  well  known  that  most  of  the 
early  Methodist  preachers  were  taken  from  the 
common  walks  of  hfe ;  and  in  those  days  even 
common  schools  were  scarce,  and  those  that 
existed  were  taught  by  masters  and  mistresses 
who  now  would  be  deemed  unfit  to  teach  the 
merest  rudiments  of  an  English  education. 
From  this  class  of  the  population  the  first  Me- 
thodist preachers  were  principally  taken.  Books 
also  were  exceedingly  scarce  and  expensive. 
The  chief  books  were  a  pocket  Bible,  Hymn- 
Book,  and  Discipline,  and  if  at  any  time  they  lit 
upon  a  commentary,  Wesley's  or  Burkett's 
Notes  on  the  New  Testament,  or  perhaps  occa- 
sionally Henry's  Commentary,  it  was  considered 
a  great  treat.  But  they  were  men  of  God, 
they  lived  and  moved  in  Him,  and  furnished 
irrefutable  e\idenc.e  that  they  were  called  and 
sent  by  God,  by  the  reforming  efi'ects  of  their 
labours. 

How  is  it  now  ?  In  addition  to  the  advantages 
of  a  common-school  education,  now  offered  to  all 
the  children  of  our  country,  many  of  our  minis- 
ters have  had  the  opportunity  of  a  classical  edu- 
cation ;  books  of  all  sorts,  historical,  philoso- 
phical, theological,  whether  in  commentaries  on 


TALENTS  AND  PIETY.  245 

the  Holy  Scriptures  or  otherwise,  are  put  into 
their  hands.  If  any,  therefore,  remain  ignorant, 
it  is  either  because  he  is  too  stupid  to  learn,  or 
too  indolent  to  study ;  and  permit  me  to  say  that 
either  of  these  defects  unfits  a  man  for  a  minister 
of  the  Gospel.  I  cannot,  indeed,  believe  that 
God  calls  a  man  to  be  a  minister  in  holy  things, 
who  is  either  destitute  of  holiness  himself,  or  is 
too  ignorant  to  instruct  others  in  the  things  of 
the  kingdom.  We  have,  however,  I  presume  to 
think,  but  very  few  such  ministerial  drones  in 
the  Church. 

•  Well,  now,  does  not  our  responsibihty  increase 
in  exact  proportion  to  these  hterary  and  scientific 
advantages?  Are  not  these  additional  talents 
with  which  God  has  intrusted  us,  and  for  the  use 
of  which  we  must  give  an  account  ? 

To  say  that  eminent  talents,  high  literary  and 
scientific  acquirements,  are  incompatible  with  an 
elevated  state  of  holiness  and  of  extensive  useful- 
ness, is  to  contradict  the  facts  of  all  history.  To 
go  no  farther  than  our  own  denomination  for  a 
proof  of  this,  what  do  we  find  there  ?  Were  not 
the  Wesleys  endowed  with  talents  of  the  first 
order,  and  adorned  with  the  highest  literary  and 
scientific  attainments?  And  was  not  Fletcher, 
the  holy  and  indefatigable  Fletcher,  equally  emi- 
nent for  gifts  and  acquirements  ?  And  what  shall 


246  THE   MINISTRY, 

we  say  of  Benson,  Clarke,  and  Watson  ?  Were 
they  behind  any  of  theh'  contemporaries  for  either 
natural  or  acquired  abilities  ? 

And  what  shall  be  said  of  some  in  our  own 
country  ?  Of  the  hving  I  may  not  speak,  for  I 
doubt  the  propriety  of  writing  the  biography  of 
men  while  they  live,  or  of  praising  them  to  their 
face.  But  of  the  honoiu-ed  dead  we  may  speak 
without  reserre.  What,  then,  shall  be  said  of 
Asbury,  whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches? 
Though  not  classically  educated,  yet  we  know 
that  he  was  a  close  student,  that  he  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  the  original  languages  in  wliich  the 
Holy  Scriptm-es  were  written,  and  that  he  possess- 
ed an  expanded  intellect,  and  a  highly  improved 
understanding.  Of  Emory,  whose  acuteness  of 
mind,  and  comprehensive  judgment,  evinced  the 
powers  of  a  great  man,  and  whose  mind  had  been 
highly  improved  by  literar}'  and  scientific  culture  ? 
And  what  shall  be  said  of  Fisk  ?  He  was  both 
classically  educated  and  highly  adorned  with  scien- 
tific acquirements,  and  all  these  were  ingrafted  up- 
on a  mind  richly  endowed  with  every  natural  gift. 

Were  not  all  these  men  "bricrht  and  shininor 

o  o 

lights"  in  their  day  and  generation?  Did  they 
not  go  in  and  out  before  the  churches,  exerting 
a  hallowing  influence  all  around  them?  They 
were,  in  fact,  so  many  "golden  candlesticks," 


EXAMPLES  OF  TALENT.  247 

emitting  a  pure  flame  wherever  they  moved, 
being  ht  up  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Almighty.  They 
were,  indeed,  the  "anointed  ones  that  stood  by 
the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth,"  into  whose  hearts 
the  "golden  oil"  was  poured  continually,  by 
which  their  souls  were  fed  and  strengthened, 
and  their  tongues  became  eloquent  in  the  cause 
of  God. 

To  say,  therefore,  that  strong  mental  powers, 
and  high  literary  and  scientific  attainments,  are 
incompatible  with  deep  and  ardent  piety,  with  a 
flaming  and  untiring  zeal  in  the  work  of  man's 
salvation,  and  with  extended  usefulness  in  the 
cause  of  God,  is  to  contemn  the  founders  of  our 
own  Church,  to  question  the  piety  of  some  of 
the  brightest  ornaments  of  human  nature,  and  to 
pour  contempt  upon  some  of  the  purest  spirits 
with  which  any  denomination  has  ever  been  bless- 
ed. It  not  only  falsifies  the  facts  of  all  history, 
but  it  goes  to  impugn  the  wisdom  and  goodness 
of  Almighty  God,  who  called  such  men  as  Moses, 
who  was  skilled  in  all  the  learning  of  Egypt,  as 
Paul  the  Apostle,  as  Luther  and  Melancthon, 
as  Wesley  and  Fletcher,  as  Clarke,  Asbury,  and 
Fisk,  and  a  host  of  others  that  might  be  named, 
all  of  whom  may  be  ranked  among  the  giants 
of  the  Church,  not  only  in  the  depth  of  their 
piety,  and  the  activity  of  their  zeal,  but  also  in 


248  THE   MINISTRY. 

the  greatness  of  their  intellects,  and  their  high 
literary  and  scientific  acquirements. 

I  do  not  say,  indeed,  that  such  men  are  the 
only  ones  whom  God  calls  into  his  vineyard. 
We  know  that  the  fishermen  and  tax-gatherers 
of  Galilee  were  among  the  first  of  the  apostles 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  that  in  every  age  he  has 
magnified  his  grace  in  calling  and  sending. forth 
men  of  small  literary  attainments,  and  not  of  very 
expanded  intellects,  that  he  might  "confound 
the  wisdom  of  the  wise,"  and  save  the  world  by 
the  "  foolishness  of  preaching."*  But  while  it 
is  allowed  that  he  has  done,  and  still  does,  this, 
it  is  contended,  with  equal  earnestness,  that  he 
shows  his  sovereignty  no  less  conspicuously  in 
selecting  instruments  of  a  more  pohshed  charac- 
ter to  accomplish  his  purposes  of  mercy  to  the 
fallen  sons  and  daughters  of  men ;  and  that,  in 
the  same  proportion  that  these  advantages  are 
auo^mented  amonor  us,  our  oblisration  for  their 
right  improvement  becomes  stronger  and 
stronger. 

=  It  ought,  perhaps,  to  be  remarked,  that  the  apostle,  in 
the  above  words,  does  not  admit  that  he  himself,  and  others 
engaged  in  the  same  work,  were  weak,  foolish  preachers. 
But  allowing  what  their  enemies  alleged  against  them  to  be 
true,  namely,  that  the  preaching  of  Christ  crucified  was,  as 
the  Greek  philosophers  alleged  it  to  be,  foolishness,  yet  God 
had  so  put  his  seal  upon  it  as  to  make  it  "  the  power  of  God, 


PIETY  ESSENTIAL.  249 

This  is  the  point  I  wish  to  press  upon  myself 
and  all  my  readers.  Like  the  central  fires  in  the 
bowels  of  the  earth,  the  intensity  of  whose  heat 
is  in  proportion  to  their  depth,  so  does  the  fire 
which  burns  in  the  heart  of  a  holy,  devoted  minis- 
ter increase  in  its  intensity  in  exact  proportion 
to  its  "length,  and  breadth,  and  height;"  and, 
like  the  former,  which  occasionally  burst  from 
their  confinement,  and  pour  forth  their  volumes 
of  flame  in  an  impetuous  torrent,  the  anointed 
minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  feeling  his  heart  agitated 
with  the  fire  of  Divine  love,  pours  it  forth  in 
streams  of  burning  eloquence,  carrying  away 
with  him,  by  the  impetuosity  of  his  zeal  and  the 
force  of  his  arguments,  the  understandings  and 
consciences  of  his  audience. 

Let  all  such  ministers,  those  whose  hearts  are 

and  the  wisdom  of  God" — that  is,  the  powerful  instrument 
of  man's  salvation.  So  conspicuously  did  the  wisdom  and 
power  of  God  shine  forth  in  this  scheme  of  salvation,  wrought 
out  by  Christ  Jesus,  as  to  confound  all  the  wisdom  of  the 
Greek  philosophers,  and  so  aptly  was  it  applied  to  the  con- 
sciences of  those  who  heard  it  proclaimed,  that  they  felt  its 
powerful  influence  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul.  In  this  sense 
it  was  tei-med  the  "foolishness  of  preaching."  But  let  it  be 
remembered  that  a  fool  can  never  exhibit  tide  foolishness  of 
preaching,  for  he  will  but  preach  folly,  inasmuch  as  a  stream 
can  never  rise  higher  than  its  foimtaiu — though  it  be  true 
that  an  illiterate  man,  possessed  of  strong  common  sense, 
filled  with  the  Divine  Spirit,  may  still  preach  the  Gospel  in 
the  "power  and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit." 


250  THE  MINISTRY. 

penetrated  with  a  consciousness  of  the  worth  of 

inomortal  souls,  who  sigh  for  the  abominations  of 

the  land,  and  who,  of  course,  glory  in  naught  but 

the  cross  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  look  up  and  abroad, 

and  while  viewing  the  vast  fields  that  are  already 

"  white  for  the  harvest,"  "  cry  aloud,  and  spare 

not,"  but  point   continually  to  the  "Lamb  of 

God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 

Such  will  not  sit  down,  and  supinely  say, 

"In  vain  we  tune  our  formal  songs, 
In  vain  we  strive  to  rise, — 
Hosannas  languish  on  our  tongues, 
And  our  devotion  dies ;" 

but,  feehng  the  love  of  Christ  constraining  him, 

he  cries  out  from  the  depths  of  his  soul, 

"  The  love  of  Christ  doth  me  constrain 
To  seek  the  wandering  sons  of  men, 
With  cries,  entreaties,  tears,  to  save, 
To  snatch  them  from  the  gaping  grave. 

"My  life,  my  blood,  I  here  present, 
If  for  thy  truth  they  may  be  spent : 
Fulfil  thy  sovereign  coimsel,  Lord, 
Thy  will  be  done,  thy  name  adored." 

The  first  is  expressive  of  a  heart  languishing 
under  a  consciousness  of  luke  warmness  utterly  un- 
becoming an  ambassador  of  the  King  of  kings ; 
while  the  latter  stanzas  are  expressions  of  a  heart 
heaving  under  a  pressure  of  responsibility  to 
God  and  the  world,  and  declaring  its  willingness 
to  spend  and  be  spent  in  the  tremendous  work 


THE  HYMN-BOOK.  25 1 

of   man's   salvation.     Hence  lie  exclaims  with 
holy  fervour,  mixed  with  strong,  steadfast  faith, 

"  Still  will  I  strive,  and  labour  still, 
With  humble  zeal  to  do  thy  will, 

And  trust  in  thy  defence  ; 
My  soul  into  thy  hands  I  give, 
And,  if  he  can  obtain  thy  leave. 

Let  Satan  pluck  me  thence."^ 

^  This  verse,  which  is  among  the  most  sublime,  poetical, 
deeply  spiritual,  and  expressive  of  the  strongest  and  most 
scriptural  faith  in  God,  of  any  in  the  entire  collection  of 
hymns,  has  been  left  out  in  the  last  edition  of  the  Hymn- 
Book.  I  know  not  a  single  stanza  in  all  the  hymns  in  the  old 
book  which  could  not  have  been  spared  better  than  this. 
"WTiile  I  live  I  shall  continue  its  use,  for  "we  two  axe  so 
joined"  that  naught  but  "death  can  us  part." 

The  Committee  of  Revision,  I  am  sure,  will  allow  me  this 
favour,  out  of  respect  to  the  prejudice,  if  they  please  so  to 
call  it,  of  old  age,  rendered,  in  this  instance,  more  inveterate 
from  long  association,  and  the  delights  arising  from  habits 
of  thought,  and  a  similarity  of  feeling — allow  me  to  say, 
without  being  accused  of  vain  boasting — with  the  immortal 
bai-d  of  Methodism.  Had  the  Committee  retained  this  ini- 
mitably sublime  and  poetical  stanza,  I  could  the  more  easily 
have  forgiven  them  for  laying  so  many  others  of  my  favourites 
under  their  ban,  and  devoting  them  to  the  excision  of  their 
critical  scissors.  I  console  myself,  however,  with  the  reflec- 
tion that  the  hymns  thus  condemned  are  still  in  being,  and 
may  be  resorted  to  as  we  occasionally  resort  to  the  graves  of 
our  depM-ted  friends,  that  we  may  remind  ourselves  of  their 
past  services  and  virtues.  At  any  rate,  this  verse  shall  live 
in  my  heart  and  affections,  as  a  memento  of  my  venera- 
tion for  its  merits.  The  reader  will  please  examine  Matt. 
X,  27-29  and  Rom.  viii,  33-39,  for  a  reason  for  my  wishing 
to  retain  that  stanza  in  the  Hymn-Book. 


252  PRACTICAL  ERRORS. 


CHAPTER  XXYII. 

Erroneous  method  of  converting  sinners,  particularly  the  Ro- 
man Cathohcs — True  method— Our  example  must  be  good — 
LoA-e  and  meekness  must  be  exhibited — Contrast  between 
Popery  and  Protestantism — Religion  of  love  must  be  propa- 
gated by  love — Erroneous  method  pursued  towards  Roman 
Catholics — The  parties  in  our  country — Real  Christians- 
Nominal  Christians — Semi-infidels  and  bare-faced  infidels — 
The  latter  no  indifferent  spectators — Watching  for  faults 
among  Christians — True  method  to  be  pursued — Combinations 
to  put  down  ciny  sect  wrong — Not  apostolic — Nor  sanctioned 
by  either  Luther  or  Weslej' — Successful  method — It  must  be 
pursued  in  love — ^After  the  example  of  our  Saviour — Such  will 
succeed. 

One  of  the  most  pernicious  practical  errors  into 
which  professed  Christians  have  been  betrayed, 
is  the  efforts  to  convert  others  to  their  faith  by 
unscriptural  means.  Though  the  maxim,  "  that 
we  may  do  e^'il  that  good  may  come,"  is  gene- 
rally discarded  in  theory,  yet  it  has  been  too 
often  exemplified  in  practice.  Hence  "  Jesuiti- 
cal cunning"  has  passed  into  a  proverb,  from 
the  "cunning  craftiness"  resorted  to  by  the  fol- 
lowers of  Ignatius  Loyola,  in  order  to  accom- 
plish their  object.  And  this  same  exception- 
able conduct  has  been  exemplified  in  one  way 
or  another  by  some  professed  Christians  in  every 
age  of  the  Church.  Hence  the  false  miracles, 
the  many  "lying  wonders"  which  have  been 


THEIR  EFFECT.  253 

invented  by  designing  men,  and  palmed  upon 
the  people,  in  order  to  excite  their  admiration, 
and  inveigle  them  into  a  belief  in  the  infallibility 
of  the  Church. 

Would  that  this  censurable  conduct  were  con- 
fined to  only  one  denomination  of  Christians. 
As  if  to  retaliate  upon  them  with  similar  arts  of 
deception,  some  Protestants  have  attempted  to 
oppose  the  Roman  Cathohcs  with  weapons,  if 
not  of  the  same  sort,  yet  equally  unworthy  of 
the  cause  they  have  espoused.  It  has,  indeed, 
appeared  to  me  that  a  greater  desire  has  been 
manifested  to  render  the  Roman  Catholics  odious 
than  simply  to  do  them  good.  Hence  the  ef- 
forts to  make  them  appear  ridiculous,  by  cari- 
caturing their  doctrines  and  usages,  by  invent- 
ing and  propagating  falsehoods,  such  as  those 
contained  in  Maria  Monk's  book,  as  base  an  im- 
position as  was  ever  played  off  upon  a  credu- 
lous multitude,  all  of  which  has  only  tended 
to  injure  the  cause  of  Protestantism,  and  to 
strengthen  the  hands  of  the  Roman  Catholics. 
In  none  of  the  controversies  that  I  have  seen — 
and  I  believe  I  have  read  the  most  that  has 
been  written  upon  this  subject,  besides  attend- 
ing several  lectures  which  have  been  delivered  in 
opposition  to  Roman  Catholicism — has  the  spirit 
of  candoui'  been   exemplified,  much   less  that 


2o4  PRACTICAL  ERKOK&. 

spirit  of  love  wliich  ought  to  characterize  po- 
lemical writings  of  this  sort.  These  writings 
and  lectures  were  calculated  more  to  irritate  the 
passions,  and  stir  up  a  spirit  of  hatred  toward 
the  persons  censured,  than  they  were  to  excite 
that  tender  sympathy 'which  ought  to  be  in- 
spired in  the  heart  toward  the  erring  sons  of 
men.  To  do  good  to  the  Roman  Cathohcs,  they 
must  be  treated  precisely  in  the  same  spirit  that 
we  treat  all  others  in  similar  circumstances. 

In  the  first  place,  if  we  would  win  them  over 
to  our  faith,  we  must  exhibit  before  them  a  su- 
perior example  of  piety,  that  thus  the  claims  of 
pure  Christianity  may  be  pressed  upon  them 
from  its  living  practical  effects  upon  our  hearts 
and  lives.  Nor  are  any  other  weapons  than 
truth  and  love,  plainly  and  powerfully  addressed 
to  their  understandings  and  consciences,  to  be 
used  for  their  conversion.  We  may  indeed  de- 
tect and  expose  their  errors,  and  denounce  their 
sms,  but  it  should  be  done  in  that  spirit  of 
meekness  and  love  which  will  convince  them 
that  we  seek  their  salvation,  and  not  their  de- 
struction. What  would  be  gained  by  merely 
the  overthrow  of  Popery,  unless  we  substitute 
in  its  place  not  merely  Protestantism  as  a  sys- 
tem of  doctrine  and  church  government,  how- 
ever preferable  this  may  be  to  that  system,  but 


EVILS   OF  POPERY.  255 

more  especially  a  living  temple,  composed  of 
holy  souls — souls  that  shall  exhibit  in  their  tem- 
pers and  conduct  the  purity  and  excellence  of 
Christianity.  An  unconverted,  unsanctified  Pro- 
testant is  no  better  in  the  sight  of  God  than  an 
unconverted,  unsanctified  Roman  Catholic.  They 
are  both  under  the  curse  of  God's  law,  and  of 
course  are  alike  exposed  to  the  malediction  of 
Heaven.  While  in  this  impenitent  state,  the 
one  is  as  much  included  under  sin  as  the  other, 
and  therefore  both  equally  exposed  to  futm-e 
wrath,  and  equally  need  a  change  of  heart,  and 
an  application  of  the  blood  of  Christ  to  wash 
away  their  sins,  and  the  purifying  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  fit  them  for  an  acceptable  ser- 
vice here,  and  for  the  enjoyment  of  God  here- 
after. 

There  is  undoubtedly  a  difference  in  the  two 
systems.  While  Popery  is  encumbered  with 
numerous  unscriptural  ceremonies  and  burden- 
some requisitions,  which  clog  its  wheels,  and 
greatly  obscure  the  peculiar  glories  of  Chris- 
tianity, Protestantism  presents  the  truth  freed 
from  these  encumbrances,  and  unobstructed 
from  these  ceremonious  observances,  which  hide 
the  truth,  and  prevent  its  beams  from  shining 
forth  luminously  upon  the  human  mind.  So 
far  the  contrast  holds  good,  and  so  far  Protest- 


256  PRACTICAL    EKROltS. 

antism  presents  its  superior  claims  to  the  be- 
lief and  homage  of  every  rational,  intelligent 
mind,  and  hence  proves  itself  much  more  likely 
to  be  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  God  for  the 
conversion  of  the  world  than  Roman  Catholicism 
does.  Yet  if  I,  as  a  Protestant,  manifest  all 
the  pride  and  pomposity  of  an  unhumbled 
Pharisee  in  my  intercom-se  with  Papists,  I  can 
present  no  evidence  that  I  am  any  more  a  fol- 
lower of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus  than  they 
are,  and  therefore  can  lay  no  superior  claim  to 
the  character  of  a  genuine  Christian,  to  induce 
them  to  change  their  religion  for  mine.  The 
fact  is,  we  are  all,  in  our  unconverted  state, 
ahke  an  abhorrence  in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God. 

Let,  then,  the  religion  of  love  be  propagated 
by  such  means  as  love  sanctions,  and  all  false 
systems  will  disappear  in  the  same  ratio  as  this 
rehgion  prevails.  First  "make  the  tree  good, 
and  the  fruit  will  be  good  also."  Let  the  truth 
of  God  be  aimed  at  the  heart,  and  in  such  a 
spirit  as  shall  convince  the  sinner,  whether  Pro- 
testant, Roman  Catholic,  Mohammedan,  Jew,  or 
Pagan,  that  we  are  seeking  his  present  and  eter- 
nal welfare,  and  we  shall  succeed,  if  God  see  fit 
to  second  our  endeavours,  in  effecting  his  saha- 
tion,  by  producing  a  radical  change  of  his  na- 
ture, and  thus  stripping  him  of  all  false  depend- 


m 


ERRORS   OF  PROTESTANTS.  257 

ence  upon  either  himself  or  upon  lifeless  rites 
and  ceremonies.  Any  conversion  that  stops 
short  of  this  will  be  of  no  lasting  benefit*  A 
mere  formal  conversion  from  one  system  of  reli- 
gion to  another,  though  it  may  be  from  a  false 
to  a  true  one,  which  is  unaccompanied  by  this 
thorough  change  of  heart,  inseparably  connected, 
as  such  a  change  always  is,  with  a  righteous 
life,  only  affects  the  sinner's  outward  relation, 
leaving  him,  at  heart,  an  impenitent  sinner  still. 

Here,  then,  has  been,  in  my  judgment,  the 
grand  error  of  most  of  those  who  have  arrayed 
themselves  against  the  Roman  Catholics.  They 
have,  apparently  at  least,  sought  to  load  them 
with  disgrace,  stigmatized  them  with  oppro- 
brious epithets,  calhng  them  nicknames,  refusing 
even  to  recognize  them  by  the  name  by  which 
they  have  chosen  to  be  distinguished,  caUing 
their  Church  the  "  whore  of  Babylon,"  and  its 
members  the  descendants  of  the  "beast  and 
false  prophet,"  (kc,  and  have  finally  formed  an 
association  with  the  professed  object  to  "put. 
them  down."  I  very  much  doubt  the  propriety 
of  all  this.  These  imprudent  measures  have  pro- 
duced directly  the  contrary  effect  to  what  was 
anticipated  by  their  authors  and  abettors.  Both 
in  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  the  Pa- 
pists have  steadily,  and  indeed  rapidly,  increased 
17 


258  PRACTICAL  ERRORS. 

in  numbers  and  influence  since  these  measures 
have  been  in  operation. 

There  are  three  parties  in  our  country  -which 
compose  society,  and  of  course  which  form  the 
pubhc,  out  of  which  the  pubhc  sentiment  is 
formed.  The  first  is  the  Christian  party — those 
who  are  sincerely  desirous  of  promoting  the 
present  and  eternal  welfare  of  themselves  and 
their  fellow-men,  regardless  of  sects  and  deno- 
minations. These  are  the  minority,  though  they 
are  gradually  increasing.  The  second  is  what 
may  be  called  nominally  Christian,  or  pohtico- 
religious,  and  are  swayed  pretty  much  by  the 
wind  of  poHtics,  and  are  urgent  to  go  the  way 
this  wind  blows  the  strongest.  The  third  is 
made  up  of  mere  politicians,  and  it  is  composed 
of  semi-infidels,  skeptics,  or  open,  bare-faced  in- 
fidels, forming,  to  be  sure,  a  small  minority. 
They  are  looking  on  with  a  suspicious  eye  upon 
the  movements  of  the  Christian  world,  watchino^ 
for  their  faults,  espying  with  the  keenness  of  a 
vulture's  eye  any  and  every  misstep  that  is  taken 
by  Christians,  that  they  may  find  something  to 
feed  their  infidelity,  or  to  strengthen  their  pre- 
judice against  Christianity.  They  do  not  dis- 
criminate between  one  form  of  religion  and  an- 
other, but  look  upon  all  its  forms  alike,  and 
use  them  just  so  far  as  thev  will  answer  their 


IMMiaRANTS.  259 

political  purposes,  and  no  farther.  Their  sympa- 
thies are  enlisted  with  the  weaker  party,  and 
more  especially  if  they  appear  to  be  persecuted 
or  oppressed  in  any  way  by  the  stronger.  The 
Roman  Catholics  are  the  minority  in  our  coun- 
try, and  yet,  as  they  generally  vote  all  on  the 
same  side,  these  wily  politicians  are  anxious  to 
secure  their  suffrage,  and  in  ordei-  to  this,  will 
promise  them  offices  in  the  state,  flatter  then- 
vanity,  attend  their  meetings,  and  otherwise  fa- 
vour their  religious  institutions. 

These  men  have  been  no  indiflferent  specta- 
tors to  the  contest  which  has  been  going  on  be- 
tween the  Protestants  and  Roman  Catholics, 
and  they  have  considered,  and  very  justly  too, 
in  my  opinion,  the  latter  as  the  injured  party, 
and  therefore  have  very  naturally  sympathized 
with  them,  and  have  thus  increased  their  num- 
ber and  influence.  This,  together  with  the  con- 
stant influx  of  Irish  and  German  immigrants, 
has  tended  to  swell  the  number  of  this  class 
among  us  to  an  enormous  amount,  and  it  is  still 
augmenting  with  an  increasing  ratio. 

Now  the  question  to  be  answered  is.  What 
methods  shall  be  adopted  to  do  them  good? 
They  are  in  our  midst — they  mingle  in  our  fami- 
lies— associate  with  our  children — do  our  work 
— and  consequently  we  have  it  in  our  power  to 


260  PRACTICAL  ERRORS. 

instnict  tliem  in  the  principles  of  pure  and  im- 
defiled  religion,  and  to  set  them  an  example,  in 
our  daily  intercourse  with  them,  of  exemplary- 
piety.  If  they  behold  in  us  the  same  pride, 
love  of  self,  Tain  glory,  love  of  money,  of  sen- 
sual pleasure,  as  are  exhibited  among  themselves, 
what  motive  will  they  have  to  change  their  re- 
ligion ?  If  a  Protestant  priest  manifest  the 
same  hauteur,  the  same  luxm'ious  indolence,  the 
same  love  of  power  and  pomp,  as  the  Roman 
Catholic  priest  does,  by  what  argument  shall 
the  latter  be  convinced  that  the  former  is  any 
better  than  he  ?  All  argument,  in  these  circum- 
stances, will  be  absolutely  unavaiUng.  The  best 
way,  and  indeed  the  only  way,  to  convert  the 
Roman  Cathohcs,  as  Wesley  said,  is  "  to  out- 
live them,  and  out-preach  them." 

The  fact  is,  and  I  rejoice  that  it  is  so,  all  com- 
binations among  professed  Christians,  formed 
with  the  avowed  object  to  put  down  another 
sect,  however  erroneous  that  sect  may  be,  will 
always  be  considered,  by  the  enlightened,  im- 
partial part  of  the  community,  as  a  species  of 
persecution  incompatible  with  the  genius  of 
Christianity,  and  hence  will  inevitably  tend  to 
enlist  the  pubHc  sympathy,  and  turn  the  pubhc 
sentiment  in  favour  of  the  persecuted  sect.  And 
I  scruple  not  to  say  tliat  all  such  combinations, 


ERROKS   ABJURED.  261 

gotten  up  with  such  objects,  are  unscriptural, 
anti- Christian,  deriving  no  sanction  from  apos- 
tolic example.  The  apostles  went  forth  under 
the  sanction  and  direction  of  their  divine  Master, 
unaided  by  any  human  authority,  to  proclaim 
the  willingness  of  Almighty  God  to  save  sinners 
of  every  description,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles, 
knowing  full  well  that  all  who  embraced  their 
message  with  believing  and  obedient  hearts 
would  be  saved,  not  only  from  their  sins,  but 
also  from  all  those  erroneous  forms  by  which 
they  had  been  held  m  bondage.  This  was  the 
apostolic  example.  This  same  example  was 
followed  by  Luther,  by  Wesley,  and  by  every 
successful  reformer.  They  began  by  first  em- 
bracing the  truth  themselves ;  and,  feeling  its 
transforming  power  in  their  own  hearts,  were 
constrained  to  preach  it  to  their  fellow-sinners. 
In  doing  this  they  were  soon  led  to  see  and  ab- 
jure the  errors  in  which  they  had  been  so  long 
held,  and,  without  suspecting  it  at  first,  they  gra- 
dually undermined  the  foundation  of  that  vast 
fabric  of  error  on  which  the  rotten  superstruc- 
ture had  so  long  rested,  and  all  the  genuine 
converts  fled  from  it  as  from  a  baseless  edifice 
which  could  not  shelter  them  from  coming- 
destruction. 

Had  Wesley  entered  the  arena  of  controversy 


262  PRACTICAL  ERRORS. 

respecting  Church  order,  the  power  of  bishops, 
and  the  various  corruptions  which  infested  the 
Church  of  England,  he  would  have  spent  his 
strength  for  naught,  and  wasted  his  energies  in 
empty  declamation.  Instead  of  this  useless 
warfare,  he  aimed  the  truth  directly  to  the  sin- 
ner's heart,  knowing  perfectly  well  that  if  a  re- 
formation were  effected  there,  all  the  rest  would 
follow  as  a  necessary  consequence.  The  same 
course  he  pursued  toward  the  Roman  Catholics, 
and  many  of  them  were  soundly  converted 
through  the  searching  appeals  of  his  ministry  to 
their  consciences. 

This  method  will  prove  successful,  for  I  am 
fully  persuaded  that  there  is  no  disease  in  the 
human  heart  so  inveterate  but  that  it  may  be 
removed,  provided  the  remedy  of  the  divine 
Physician  be  timely  and  suitably  applied,  and 
belie\ingly  received.  Nor  is  there  any  error, 
however  complicated,  but  what  may  be  detected 
and  scattered  by  the  bright  and  penetrating 
rays  of  eternal  truth.  Remove  prejudice  from 
the  heart,  break  down  its  opposition  to  God, 
and  the  clouds  of  error  which  hannf  over  the 
understanding  will  easily  be  dispersed  by  the 
presentation  of  truth — simply  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Jesus.  And  when  the  understanding  is  thus 
opened  for  the  reception  of  this  truth,  the  dis- 


THE    REMEDY.  263 

ease  of  tlie  heart  is  revealed  to  the  sinner  him- 
self, so  pressingly  as  to  extort  the  humiliating 
confession,  "  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  as  in 
dust  and  ashes."  When  the  spiritual  disease  is 
thus  revealed  to  the  sinner  himself — no  matter 
what  his  profession  may  have  been  before, 
whether  Protestant,  Roman  Catholic,  Jew,  or 
heathen — and  is  confessed  with  an  ''humble 
and  penitent  heart,"  then  is  the  time  to  apply 
the  remedy,  to  bring  as  \ividly  as  possible  be- 
fore the  mind's  eye  the  all-sufficient  Physician 
of  the  sin-sick  soul,  and  to  urge  upon  his  ac- 
ceptance, with  a  beheving  heart,  the  sovereign 
balm  for  his  wounded  spirit.  No  one  ever 
prayerfully  and  believingly  tried  this  remedy  in 
vain.  On  the  contrary,  thousands  of  living  wit- 
nesses have  been  raised  up,  in  every  age  of  the 
Church,  who  could  feelingly  testify  to  the  ex- 
perimental efficacy  of  this  divine  remedy,  and 
tens  of  thousands  are  now  living  who  can  corro- 
borate the  truth  of  their  testimony. 

Now  that  this  remedy  may  prove  efficacious, 
it  must  be  presented  in  the  same  spirit  of  love 
with  which  the  Saviour  provided  it.  And  let  it 
be  remembered,  that  while  he  boldly  rebuked  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees  for  their  hypocrisy,  and 
condemned  them  for  trusting  in  outward  ob- 
servances for  salvation,  he  did  not  in  the  first 


264  PRACTICAL  EliRORS. 

instance  assault  their  system  of  religion,  but 
even  sent  those  whom  he  had  healed  to  the 
priests,  that  they  might  be  purified,  ac- 
cording to  the  prescriptions  of  the  Levitical 
law :  but  that  trait  in  his  character  which  I 
"would  more  particularly  recommend,  is  the  love 
that  he  manifested  even  to  his  most  inveterate 
enemies,  offering  for  his  very  crucifiers,  while 
suffering  the  agonies  of  the  cross,  that  most  ex- 
pressive prayer,  "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do!"  thus  making  an  apo- 
logy for  his  murderous  enemies,  while  suffering 
the  effect  of  their  malice.  Let  a  portion  of  this 
love  possess  and  actuate  the  hearts  of  God's 
ministers  and  people,  in  all  their  attempts  to 
convert  sinners,  whether  they  be  Roman  Catho- 
lics or  others,  and  the  God  of  love  will  crown 
their  efforts  with  success,  so  fai-  at  least  as  to 
smile  upon  their  labours,  and  leave  a  favourable 
impression  upon  their  hearts,  and  upon  the  hearts 
of  their  hearers. 

If  all  our  missionaries,  at  home  and  abroad, 
were  deeply  imbued  with  this  heavenly  spirit, 
whether  they  labom-  among  Roman  Cathohcs, 
Protestants,  Mohammedans,  Jews,  or  heathens, 
addressing  themselves  directly  to  the  heart, 
trusting  in  God  alone  for  "  the  increase,"  who 
can  doubt  that  the  walls  of  prejudice,  supersti- 


BIGOTRY.  265 

tion,  and  idolatry  would  speedily  fall  before  the 
blasts  of  truth  ?  Let  fiery,  narrow-hearted  big- 
ots contend  about  their  peculiarities,  dispute 
concerning  little,  unimportant  matters,  and 
labour  to  build  up  their  sect  merely,  while  the 
insph-ed  messenger  of  the  cross,  with  his  heart 
filled  and  expanded  with  the  lore  of  God  and 
man,  shall  distinguish  himself  as  a  flaming 
herald  of  good  news  to  all  men,  regardless  of 
creeds  and  confessions,  any  further  than  they 
interfere  with  the  essentials  of  Christianity. 
Such  a  man  will  never  be  confounded.  God 
will  give  him  a  mouth,  which,  however  wide 
he  may  open  it,  shall  be  filled  with  words 
and  arguments — so  filled  with  truth,  that  all  his 
enemies  shall  not  be  able  to  gainsay  him.  He 
will  proclaim  a  risen,  living  Saviour,  and  his 
hearers  will  know  for  themselves  that  "  He  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them,"  because 
he  hath  shed  down  upon  them  the  gifts  and 
graces  of  his  Holy  Spirit. 


266  TIME   FOR  ACTION, 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Time  for  action — Claims  superior  to  the  ancient  crusade — Tliis 
peaceful  and  saving — Home  work — Common  error  to  be 
avoided — If  the  whole  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  were 
deeply  devoted  and  actively  engaged,  how  much  good  might 
be  accomplished — Much  more  were  the  entire  evangelical 
world  thus  engaged — Sanctification  gives  enlarged  views — 
Contr^ust  between  such  and  others — Were  ministers  and  peo- 
ple thus  devoted,  how  much  good  would  be  done — Tliis  may 
be  accomplished — Motives  to  try. 

Keyer  was  tliere  a  time  which  called  louder  for 
self-sacrifice,  for  active  and  untiring  zeal  in  the 
cause  of  God,  than  the  present.  God  is,  in- 
deed, pouring  hjs  blessings  upon  us  in  rich  profu- 
sion. And  to  those  who  can  discern  the  "  signs 
of  the  times,"  it  must  appear  most  manifest  that 
doors  are  opened  and  opening  in  almost  every 
land  and  nation  for  the  promulgation  of  evan- 
gelical truth.  These  doors  must  be  entered  by 
the  man  of  God,  the  *'  land  must  be  possessed," 
the  walls  of  prejudice,  superstition,  and  idolatry, 
must  be  demolished,  the  "  tall  sons  of  Anak  " 
must  be  conquered  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts.  The  priests  and  the  Levites  must  enter 
the  enemies'  territories  sword  in  hand — but  it 
must  be  the  "  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
word  of  God," — and  take  peaceable  possession 
of  the  goodly  land.     This  land  must  be  culti- 


HOLY  WARFARE.  26*1 

vated  until  the  "wilderness  becomes  a  fruitful 
field."  In  a  word,  heathenism,  and  every  other 
false  system  of  religion,  must  be  assaulted  by 
this  sword  of  the  Spirit,  until  they  yield  to  the 
reiterated  strokes  of  truth,  and  fall  prostrate  be- 
fore the  cross  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

A  very  diflferent  crusade  this  from  that  under- 
taken by  the  valiant  knights  who  girded  on  the 
sword  and  helmet,  and  marched  in  military 
array  for  the  conquest  of  the  holy  land,  and  to 
rescue  the  holy  sepulchre  from  the  profane 
hands  of  infidels.  These  were  impelled  by  an 
enthusiasm  kindled  by  military  ardour,  fed  and 
inflamed  by  the  preaching  of  Peter  the  Hermit, 
and  by  the  prospect  of  civil  and  temporal  do- 
minion, connected,  to  be  sure,  with  the  false 
hope  of  future  reward.  But  if  these  chivalrous 
knights  could  be  induced  to  sacrifice  their  do- 
mestic comforts  for  the  purpose  of  embarking 
in  such  a  hazardous  and  distant  enterprise,  and 
all  for  the  sake  of  so  uncertain  a  reward,  and  in 
the  accomplishment  of  their  object  must  subject 
themselves  to  such  hardships,  and  expose  their 
persons  to  death  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  hke- 
wise  carry  death  and  destruction  to  every  land 
they  conquered,  with  what  holy  ardour  should 
the  Chiistian  soldier  be  inspired,  who  marches 
forth  protected  by  the  **  powers  that  be,"  all  of 


268  TIME    FOR  ACTION. 

whom  God  has  so  far  either  chained,  or  so  sof- 
tened down,  as  to  make  them  favour  the  cause 
of  his  Divine  Master — who,  instead  of  carrying 
devastation  with  him,  goes  proclauning  "  peace 
and  gDod-will  to  man" — who  is  inspired  with 
the  certain  prospect  of  a  present  and  eternal 
reward ! 

Here  then  is  an  object  sufficiently  grand  to 
call  forth  all  the  energies  of  the  Church,  to 
awaken  all  her  sympathies,  and  to  employ  all 
her  means  and  capabihties  of  doing  good,  of  ex- 
erting all  her  miited  strength  for  the  conquest 
of  the  world  to  om-  Immanuel. 

But  while  we  are  looking  abroad,  we  must 
not  be  mimindful  of  our  work  at  home.  Indeed, 
if  we  neglect  om-  own  heaiis — if  we  cease  to 
cultivate  a  spirit  of  deep  piety  in  the  churches 
in  our  own  immediate  neighbourhood — if  we  do 
not  urge  upon  om-selves  and  all  with  whom  we 
have  intercourse  the  necessity  of  "  forgetting  the 
things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  to 
the  things  which  are  before" — if  we  do  not  con- 
tinually press  upon  ourselves  and  all  our  peo- 
ple the  absolute  necessity  of  "  going  on  to  per- 
fection," of  attaining  that  *'  perfect  love  which 
casts  out  fear" — we  shall  soon  sink  into  a  spirit 
of  lukewarmness  which  will  unfit  us  for  ener- 
getic action,   and  render  us  powerless  in  the 


ERRORS  TO  BE  AVOIDED,  269 

work  in  which  we  are  professedly  engaged.  If 
we  allow  the  love  of  the  world  to  absorb  our 
attention,  the  pursuit  of  wealth  to  engage  our 
affections,  we  shall  thereby  render  our  ministra- 
tions flat  and  insipid.  If  we  suffer  the  spirit  of 
intrigue  to  insinuate  itself  into  our  counsels,  by 
which  the  strong  tries  to  supplant  the  weak,  the 
selfish  to  triumph  over  the  honest,  faithful  dis- 
ciple of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  an  unholy  rivalship 
to  jostle  us  against  each  other,  so  as  to  give  e\d- 
dence  that  we  are  more  ambitious  for  places  of 
honour  and  profit,  than  Ave  are  to  occupy  posts 
of  labour  and  sacrifice  in  the  cause  of  Christ, 
we  shall  have  departed  from  the  simplicity  of 
the  Gospel,  and  forfeited  the  character  of  holy 
Christian  ministers. 

I  said  we  must  not  forget  or  neglect  our  own 
hearts.  Here  is  an  error  into  which  we  are  very 
prone  to  fall.  Like  "  busy  bodies  in  other  men's 
matters,"  we  become  extremely  anxious  for 
others,  while  we  are  quite  neglectful  of  our  own 
aflfairs.  Like  tattlers,  who  employ  their  tongues 
in  aspersing  their  neighbours'  characters,  while 
they  are  entirely  heedless  of  their  own  conduct 
any  farther  than  in  backbiting  their  neiglibours  ; 
so  it  is  with  many  professed  Christians  who  de- 
lio^ht  in  findino:  fault  with  neisfhbourincf  churches, 
and  casting  the  stigma  of  reproach  upon  all  who 


2*70  TIME   FOR   ACTIOX. 

cannot  pronounce  the  sliibboleth  of  their  party, 
while  they  totally  neglect  their  own  hearts,  and 
are  therefore  strangers  to  that  deep  experience 
of  the  love  of  God  which  distinguishes  the  holy 
Christian,  and  that  intimate  communion  with 
God,  throuo;h  faith  in  Christ,  which  results 
from  a  sanctified  nature.  The  spirit  of  deep 
experimental  and  practical  piety  must  be  kept 
up  in  the  Church,  if  we  would  have  the  work 
of  religion  prevail  abroad.  The  fire  of  divine 
love  must  be  kept  continually  burning  upon  our 
domestic  and  Church  altars,  in  order  that  its 
pure  flame  may  be  irradiated  all  around  us ;  and 
when  this  is  the  case,  our  "  light  will  so  shine 
before  others,  that  they  will  see  our  good  works, 
and  glorify  our  Father  v.hich  is  in  heaven." 

Xow,  if  the  whole  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
or  even  the  great  majority  of  its  members,  minis- 
ters, and  people,  consisting  of  up  wards  of  700,000, 
were  thus  deeply  devoted  to  God,  the  ministers 
taking  the  lead  in  every  good  work,  going  be- 
fore the  people,  devising  and  executing  plans 
of  usefulness,  setting  them  an  example  of  holy 
living  and  acting,  so  that  they  could  confidently 
say  to  them,  **  Follow  us,  as  we  follow  Christ ;" 
— if  this  were  exemplified,  what  a  vast  amount 
of  good  might  be  accomplished  in  a  veiy  short 
time !     If  the  whole  Methodist  family,  in  Europe 


ALL  SHOULD   UNITE.  271 

and  America,  numbering  upwards  of  1,500,000 
souls,  were  thus  devoted,  tlius  holy,  thus  ac- 
tively engaged  in  the  cause  of  God,  how  much 
more  extensively  would  their  influence  be  felt ! 
But  were  the  whole  evangelical  world  to  lay 
aside  those  little  points  of  discrepancy  on  which 
they  may  not  perfectly  agree,  and  unite  their 
strength  and  combine  their  energies,  and  make 
one  simultaneous  onset  upon  the  empire  of  sin 
and  Satan,  how  long  would  it  be  ere  its  gigantic 
power  should  crumble  to  the  dust  ?  And  why, 
I  ask,  in  the  name  of  our  common  Christianity, 
Avhy  may  not  this  be  done  ? 

That  enlarged  benevolence  which  is  begotten 
in  the  heart  by  the  sanctifying  operation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  gives  that  expansive  view  of  things 
which  leads  the  individual  who  is  under  its  in- 
fluence to  lose  sight  of  those  little,  unimportant 
things,  concerning  which  the  narrow,  contracted 
soul  is  chiefly  sohcitous,  and  to  fix  his  attention 
on  those  essential  truths  which  emanate  from 
God,  concentrate  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  which  are 
revealed  and  exemplified  in  the  Gospel  of  our 
salvation.  Under  the  influence  of  these  truths, 
which,  penetrating  the  depths  of  his  soul,  burn 
within  him  like  "  fire  shut  up  in  his  bones,"  he 
is  impelled  forward  in  the  grand  work  of  con- 
quering the  world  to  Jesus  Christ.     While  the 


272  TIME   FOR  ACTIO^'. 

hard-hearted  bio^ot  is  toi'tnentinor  himself  about 
all  his  little  peculiarities,  and  is  so  scrupulous 
about  comparatively  trifling  rites  and  ceremonies 
as  to  neglect  the  "  weightier  matters  of  the  law, 
justice,  and  the  Iotb  of  God,"  the  man  whose 
heart  is  enlarged  by  the  love  of  God  and  man, 
and  his  intellect  expanded  by  a  comprehensive 
view  of  things,  will  look  at  these  essential  truths, 
and  throwins:  himself,  with  all  the  weight  of  his 
talent  and  influence,  upon  the  broad  ocean  of 
God's  unbounded  goodness,  he  launches  forth  in 
quest  of  immortal  souls — he  becomes  a  success- 
ful "fisher  of  men."  The  httle,  cramped-up 
soul,  will  dispute  for  an  hour  whether  a  presby- 
ter should  be  called  an  elder  or  a  bishop,  or 
about  some  other  equally  unimportant  matter, 
as  whether  we  may  wear  a  strait  or  double- 
breasted  coat ;  while  the  deeply  devoted  minister 
of  Jesus  Christ,  leaving  these  trifles  to  be  settled 
by  those  Avho  have  nothing  else  to  do,  is  reach- 
ing forth  his  hand  to  the  lost  world,  is  devising 
hberal  things  for  the  extension  of  the  Redeem- 
er's kingdom,  and  is  preaching  with  all  his 
might,  "  peace  to  him  that  is  near,  and  to  him 
that  is  afar  off." 

Behold  the  contrast  between  the  man  whose 
soul  is  drivelled  up  by  the  withering  influence 
of  a  selfish  sectarian  prejudice,  whose  heart  is 


TRUE  MEN   OF   GOD.  273 

contracted  by  a  childish  attachment  to  the  pue- 
rilities of  unessential  peculiarities,  and  he  whose 
heart  palpitates  under  an  emotion  created  by- 
God's  universal  love  to  mankind,  this  love  filling 
all  the  avenues  of  his  soul — whose  understand- 
ing is  so  enlightened  that  he  can  take  a  compre- 
hensive surs^ey  of  the  divine  administration ; — 
the  latter  loses  sight,  in  some  sense,  of  himself ; 
and  while  he  surveys  the  state  and  wants  of  the 
human  family,  he  cries  out,  in  the  language  of 
the  apostle,  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  me," 
and  impels  me  on  to  "  reach  even  beyond  my- 
self," far  beyond  my  own  little  sphere  of  action, 
by  exciting  others  as  well  as  myself  in  this  holy 
warfare.  This  is  the  man  of  God  !  While  the 
hlliputian  soul,  contracted  by  a  supreme  love 
of  self,  draws  a  circle  around  himself,  and  makes 
everything  contribute  to  his  own  self-exaltation, 
calling  all  that  move  within  that  circle  his  friends, 
and  repelling  all  others  as  enemies ;  the  man 
of  God,  whose  soul  is  expanded  by  the  eternal 
Spirit,  draws  a  circle  around  the  universe,  and 
though  he  may  not  count  all  within  it  his  per- 
sonal friends,  he  is  sure  that  no  one  has  any  cause 
to  be  his  enemy,  because  his  heart  overflows 
with  love  and  good-will  to  all  men — and  with 
his  heart  throbbing  and  heaving  with  pulsations 
of  compassion  for  the  souls  of  the  whole  world, 
18 


2*74  TIME   FOR  ACTION. 

basing  his  declaration  upon  the  broad  commis- 
sion of  his  risen  Lord  and  Master,  he  adopts  the 
memorable  saying  of  the  immortal  Wesley, 
"  The  world  is  my  parish.'"' 

How  great  the  contrast !  The  narrow  mind 
and  contracted  heart  of  the  selfish  egotist,  ^nih. 
his  views  limited  to  the  little  sphere  in  which  he 
moves,  and  his  eyes  dimmed  with  the  love  of 
ease,  or  the  more  contemptible  passion,  the  love 
of  money,  indulges  himself  in  esppng  and  ex- 
posing the  faults  of  others,  in  transmuting  a 
foible  into  a  crime,  and  magnifying  an  innocent 
infirmity  into  a  wilful  sin,  until  the  corroding 
-jealousy  of  his  heart  eats  out  every  good  and 
kindlier  feeling  he  might  have  once  possessed, 
and  he  finally  settles  down  into  a  moody  mel- 
ancholy, by  which  he  makes  himself  and  all  that 
come  within  his  reach  discontented,  and  un- 
happy because  he  and  they  are  discontented. 
Not  so  the  holy  man  of  God.  His  heart  con- 
tinually palpitates  with  a  delightful  view  of  the 
goodness  of  God,  and  dilates  with  pious  grati- 
tude for  the  profusion  of  His  past  mercies,  from 
a  consciousness  of  present  blessings,  and  from 
the  blooming  prospect  which  looms  up  before 
him.  So  far  from  complaining,  and  whining 
over  the  failings,  whether  real  or  imaginary,  of 
his  brethren,   stunning  the  ears  of  his  friends 


DEVOTION  TO    GOD.  275 

with  his  piteous  moanings  on  the  infirmities  of 
others,  he  marches  forward,  hke  Bunyan's  Pil- 
grim, sword  in  hand,  boldly  encounters  difficul- 
ties as  they  occur,  avails  himself  of  every  favour- 
able opportunity  of  enlarging  the  sphere  of  his 
usefulness,  and  encourages  all  with  whom  he 
has  intercourse,  by  reminding  them  of  the  bright 
prospect  before  them,  as  well  as  by  admonishing 
them  of  the  dangers  which  surround  them, 
provided  they  faint  in  the  way,  to  persevering 
dihgence  in  the  cause  of  God.  This  is  the  man 
— this  the  minister,  who  fulfils  the  high  behests 
of  his  Sovereign ! 

Now,  if  the  Methodist  mmisters  and  people 
were  thus  actively  engaged — were  thus  to  con- 
secrate their  all,  soul  and  body,  time  and  sub- 
stance, to  the  service  of  mankind,  how  extensive 
would  be  their  influence !  If  all  our  academies 
and  colleges  were  thus  hallowed,  thus  sanctified 
to  God,  what  noble-hearted  youth  would  pour 
forth  from  their  sacred  enclosures,  fully  prepared, 
not  only  by  literature  and  science,  but  also  by 
pure  religion,  for  the  ministry  of  reconciliation, 
and  for  any  other  useful  profession.  With  what 
soul- stirring  eloquence  would  these  youth,  thus 
"baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire," 
*'  preach  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ !" 
Instead  of  entertaining  their  hearers  with  a  dry, 


2*76  TIME  FOR  action: 

monotonous  sound  of  words  without  meaning, 
and  lulling  them  to  sleep  with  curious  disquisi- 
tions on  mere  speculative  points  of  philosophy, 
or  even  of  divinity,  they  would  enter  into  the 
soul,  dive  into  the  depths  of  the  human  heart, 
and  make  the  sinner  feel  the  weight  of  his  sins, 
and  tremble  under  a  sense  of  his  high  responsi- 
bility to  God — he  would  believingly  point  the 
penitent  mourner  to  the  "Lamb  of  God  that 
taketli  away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  nor  leave 
him  until  he  is  thoroughly  washed  fi'om  all  his 
sins,  and  made  '•'  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb." 

And  who  will  say  that  this  cannot  be 
done  ?  Who  will  say  that  it  is  impossible  for  the 
Cbm'ch  thus  to  arise  in  the  strength  of  God,  be 
clothed  with  the  garments  of  salvation,  be  tho- 
roughly equipped  for  the  warfare,  and  "  go  forth 
from  conquering  to  conquer  ?" 

Let  him  say  it  who  has  not  faith  in  God,  Let 
him  whose  gloomy  apprehension  is  always  fore- 
boding evil ;  who  delifrhts — if  indeed  he  has 
any  delight — in  looking  upon  the  dark  side  of 
eveiything — who  distrusts  the  promises  of  God, 
has  no  confidence  in  the  prophetic  ScriptiTres, 
nor  any  expectation  of  the  universal  spread  of 
the  Gospel — let  such  a  one  sit  down  and  pine 
over  the  sad  state  of  this  world,  and  the  back- 


HOLY  COURAGE.  2*I1 

slidings  of  God's  people,  and  discourage  all 
with  whom  he  comes  in  contact,  by  saying 
''  that  there  are  giants  in  the  land,"  with  whom 
it  is  in  vain  for  these  feeble  few,  already  "  shorn 
of  their  strength,"  to  contend,  while  the  Calebs 
and  Joshuas  among  us  shall  silence  their  dis- 
heartening clamour  by  asserting,  "We  are  well 
able  to  go  up  and  possess  the  land."  Let  such 
*'  gird  up  the  loins  of  their  mind,"  and  putting 
on  the  "  breast-plate  of  faith,  and  for  hope  the 
helmet  of  salvation,"  look  up  to  the  God  of  all 
grace,  in  the  full  confidence  of  earnest  prayer, 
and  go  forth  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  they  shall  prosper  in  the  glorious 
work  in  which  they  are  engaged. 

I  must  beg  permission  for  one  more  chapter, 
in  which  I  shall  endeavour  to  make  a  short  re- 
capitulation of  the  whole  subject,  and  bring  it 
to  bear  with  solemn  weight  upon  the  consciences 
of  all  concerned. 


278  RECAPITULATION. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Recapitulation — defects  allowed — Facts  and  argnments  unavail- 
able— Thanks  to  those  who  have  volunteered  their  aid — 
Anonymous  assailants  unworthy  of  notice — Comparison  be- 
tween her  present  strength  and  foiTner  feebleness — Two 
characters  prone  to  find  fault — The  sleepy  professor  and  the 
one  recently  awakened — Bright  prospects — Much  yet  remains 
to  be  done — subjects  chiefly  dwelt  upon — How  the  work  must 
be  spread— The  work  of  sanctification  must  be  pressed— A 
word  to  the  Methodists — Entire  consecration  necessary  to 
the  reaJization  of  our  hopes. 

I  HAVE  endeavoured  to  show  tliat  the  Methodists 
have  made  rapid  improvements  in  numbers,  in 
wealth,  in  chm-ch-building,  in  missionary  and 
tract  operations,  in  publishing  books,  in  sup. 
porting  their  preachers,  in  founding  academies 
and  colleges,  in  literatm'e  and  science,  as  well 
as  in  holiness  of  heart  and  life.  The  question 
has  not  been  whether  or  not  we  are  deficient  in 
any  of  these  particulars,  but  whether  we  are 
more  deficient  now  than  formerly.  I  have  al- 
lowed all  along  that  we  are  not  as  holy  as  we 
might  be,  nor,  consequently,  as  extensively  use- 
ful in  the  above  departments  as  we  might  have 
been,  had  we  been  as  unreservedly  and  as 
universally  devoted  to  God  as  we  should  have 
been. 

Who  that  surveys  our  past  history,  and  com- 
pares our  former  feebleness  in  respect  to  num- 


COMPARISON   OP  NUMBERS.  2*79 

bers,  -wealth,  intellectual  and  spiritual  enjoy- 
ments, with  our  present  state  and  our  present 
advantages,  but  must  be  filled  with  adoring 
gratitude  to  God  for  what  he  hath  wrought  ? 
In  1Y66  there  were  but  five  members,  all  immi- 
grants, in  the  Methodist  society  in  the  city  of 
New- York,  and  these  were  so  poor  and  obscure 
that  they  assembled  for  divine  worship  in  a  pri- 
vate room,  and  Philip  Embury,  a  local  preacher, 
preached  to  them  the  first  Methodist  sermon 
ever  preached  in  America.*     But  "  behold  how 

*  I  heard  it  asserted,  not  long  since,  by  a  minister,  that 
he  did  not  believe  we  had  as  many  church-members  now  in 
the  city  of  New- York,  in  propox-tion  to  the  population,  as 
we  had  when  we  possessed  only  the  old  John-street  church. 
This  assertion  led  me  to  search  and  compare.  I  do  not 
know  to  what  particular  year  he  alluded,  and,  indeed,  he 
must  have  made  a  random  shot,  or  he  never  would  have 
shot  so  wide  of  the  mark. 

On  looking  at  the  Minutes  for  1773,  which  is  the  oldest 
record  we  have,  I  find  the  number  at  that  time  in  the  Me- 
thodist society,  in  the  city  of  New- York,  to  have  been  one 
hundred  and  eighty.  I  have  no  means  of  ascertaining  the 
entire  population  of  the  city  at  that  time,  but  I  presume  it 
did  not  exceed  25,000,  as  in  1790  there  were  33,131,  which 
is  the  oldest  record  of  the  population  I  can  find.  This 
would  give  one  Methodist  for  about  every  one  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  of  the  population.  The  present  population 
cannot  be  over  500,000,  and  the  number  of  church-members 
is  9,313,  which  will  give  one  for  about  fifty -three. 

So  near  the  truth  did  this  speaker  come ;  that  is  to  say, 
he  fell  about  three  times  short  of  the  actual  truth !  So  little 
reliance  can  be  placed  upon  vague  conjectures,  for  I  presume 


280  RECAPITULATION. 

great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindleth  !"  The  fire 
of  Divine  love  which  burned  in  their  hearts  soon 
kindled  in  others,  and  it  has  continued  to  bum 
and  blaze  until  thousands  have  been  melted 
do^m,  and  nm  into  the  mould  of  the  Gospel, 
and  they  are  now  shining  in  all  the  likeness  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Those  five  have  multi- 
plied so  fast,  that  in  eighty-four  years  they 
have  mcreased,  mcluding  the  ^orth  and  South, 
to  upwards  of  1,100,000.  And,  if  we  may 
judge  from  present  indications,  from  the  revi- 
vals now  going  on  in  different  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, we  may  console  ourselves  in  the  belief  that 
the  fire  contmues  to  buni  as  intensely  as  ever; 
and  I  humbly  trust  that  the  many  waters  of 
strife,  that  the  army  of  croakers  shall  throw 
upon  it,  will  not  be  able  to  extinguish  its  pure 
flame. 

It  is  now  forty-seven  years  since  I  was  re- 
ceived on  trial  in  the  New- York  Conference. 
At  that  time  there  were  86,734  members  in  the 
United  States.  Now,  as  before  said,  there  are 
upwards  of  1,100,000,  besides,  perhaps,  100,000 
connected  with  other  bodies  of  Methodists,  who 

that  this  speaker  had  never  made  a  calculation  with  a  view 
to  ascertain  the  comparative  strength  of  Methodism  at  the 
time  to  which  he  alluded.  It  shows,  moreover,  the  danger 
of  allowing  our  prejudices  to  guide  our  decisions,  lest  the 
tongue  inadvertently  utter  an  untruth. 


TWO   CHARACTERS.  281 

have  seceded  from  us,  but  hold  fast  to  our  doc- 
trine and  moral  discipline,  making,  in  all,  about 
1,200,000. 

I  wish  those  especially  who  are  mourning 
over  the  desolations  of  the  Church,  and  whin- 
ingly  predicting  the  overthrow  of  pure  religion, 
to  look  at  these  facts,  and  then  to  connect  with 
them  the  further  facts  I  have  exhibited,  namely, 
the  increase  of  evangelical  religion  among  other 
denominations,  and  see  if  they  cannot  derive  an 
argument  against  their  own  melancholy  hypo- 
thesis, that  spiritual  darkness  is  again  spreading 
its  gloom  over  the  world. 

There  are  two  characters  which  are  perpetually 
tormenting  themselves,  and  filling  all  others  with 
whom  they  come  in  contact  with  unbelief.  The 
one  is  asleep  himself,  and  therefore  disqualified 
to  see  and  judge  of  things  as  they  are.  Judging 
others  by  himself,  he  persuades  himself  that  all 
others  are  asleep,  and  consequently  he  is  dream- 
ing over  things  in  his  morbid  imagination,  all  of 
which  are  as  unreal  as  the  fitful  visions  conjured 
up  in  the  brains  of  the  wildest  enthusiast.  He 
is  not  unlike  the  drunkard,  who  imagines  that  the 
trees  and  the  houses  are  falling  over  his  head, 
and  every  person  in  the  street  is  staggering, 
merely  because  he  has  his  own  brains  turned  by 
intoxicating  liquor.     The  only  difficulty  is  with 


282  RECAPITULATION. 

himself.  Let  his  own  head  and  heart  get  right, 
and  he  will  feel  and  judge  accurately  respecting 
others.  So  let  sleepy,  dreaming  professors  of 
reho-ion  ''  awake  to  ric4iteousness,"  and  no  lonorer 
indulge  in  their  sinful  sloth,  and  they  will  see 
things  as  they  are,  and  will  no  longer  torment 
themselves,  and  render  all  over  whom  they  may 
have  influence  imhappy,  by  their  doleful  com- 
plaints that  spectres  cind  hobgoblins  are  infest- 
ing the  Church  with  their  foul  and  pestiferous 
breath. 

The  other  probably  has  been  dozing  for  years 
in  a  comparatively  dormant  state  of  religious  pro- 
fession ;  but,  by  some  fortunate  circumstance,  he 
has  been  recently  aroused  from  his  slumbers,  had 
his  "eyes  anointed  with  eye-salve" — with  the 
oil  of  God's  grace — and  he  en'oneously  imagines 
that  all  his  fellow-professors  are  in  a  similar  state 
to  that  from  which  he  has  been  so  mercifully  de- 
livered :  in  this  excited  state  he  sounds  the  alarm, 
as  though  the  entire  Church,  except  himself  and 
a  few  others  of  kindred  spirit,  were  all  still  asleep 
in  the  arms  of  Satan.  His  puny  attacks  excite 
only  the  smile  of  contempt  on  the  face  of  all  well- 
disposed  persons,  whose  maturity  of  experience 
and  enlightened  judgment  qualify  them  to  give 
an  impartial  decision,  while  a  feeling  of  pity  is 
begotten  in  the  breasts  of  those  who  take  an 


GOOD  PROSPECTS.  28S 

enlarged  and  comprehensive  view  of  the  whole 
subject,  and  consequently  draw  their  conclusions 
from  indisputable  data. 

These  erroneous  views,  arising  from  a  partial 
and  contracted  survey  of  the  subject,  do  immense 
harm.  They  not  only  tend  to  cast  a  gloom  over 
the  mind  of  the  devoted  Christian, — that  is,  so 
far  as  they  are  heeded, — but  they  discourage  the 
timid  believer,  make  the  faint-hearted  still  more 
faint,  and,  like  the  irresolute  spies  who  brought 
up  an  evil  report  from  the  land  of  Canaan,  they 
spread  death  over  the  camp  of  our  Israel,  and 
beget  unbelief  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  other- 
wise would  be  "  strong  in  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and 
the  power  of  his  might."  Let  then  the  Calebs 
and  Joshuas  arise,  and  put  to  flight  this  army  of 
everlasting  croakers,  who  are  ever  and  anon  cry- 
ing out,  the  Methodists  are  fallen — the  ministers 
are  shorn  of  their  strength,  and  the  people  are 
sharmg  in  their  weakness. 

Instead  of  indulging  in  these  mournful  com- 
plaints, let  us 

"  Praise  God  for  all  that  is  past, 
And  trust  him  for  all  that's  to  come." 

We  have  seen  how  the  expansive  power  of 
this  religion  has  swelled  the  hearts  of  God's  peo- 
ple, until  they  have  overflowed  with  love  and 
good-will  to  man ;  and  those  streams  of  divine 


284  RECAPITULATION. 

love  have  flowed  out  so  plentifullv  that  they  have 
watered  the  fields  of  our  neighbours.  Hence 
the  several  members  of  the  great  sphitual 
family  are  acting  unitedly,  combining  their 
strength  and  influence  to  carry  destruction  into 
the  enemies'  territories,  and  to  introduce  and 
establish  therein  the  kingdom  of  "  righteousness, 
and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  These 
things  considered  in  connexion  with  the  "signs 
of  the  times,"  namely,  the  difl'usion  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  civil  freedom  and  religious  toleration 
among  the  heathen  and  Mohammedan  nations, 
the  prostration  of  the  temporal  power  of  the 
Pope,"*  the  crushing  of  civil  despotism,  seem  to 

*  Since  tlie  above  was  wTitten,  I  see  there  is  a  prospect  of 
the  return  of  the  Pope  to  his  temporal  dominion.  But  though 
the  French  nation  has  disgraced  itself  by  thus  falsifying  the 
principles  on  which  its  late  revolution  was  founded,  and  vio- 
lated its  constitution  by  interfering  in  the  government  of  other 
nations — and  though  it  may  succeed  in  reinstating  the  Pope 
in  his  former  position — it,  remaias  to  be  seen  whether  he  will 
long  hold  his  power,  and  whether  the  fire  of  liberty  which 
has  been  kindled  up  in  Italy  and  other  states  of  Europe  shall 
be  extinguished,  or  whether  it  will  not  again  break  forth 
with  increased  violence,  and  bum  up  the  "hay,  wood,  and 
stubble,"  which  have  so  long  encumbered  the  ground  on 
which  those  kingdoms  have  been  built,  and  on  which  their 
rotten  superstructures  now  rest,  though  in  a  very  insecure 
state. 

These  thoughts  induce  me  to  leave  the  sentence  in  the  text 
the  same  as  I  wrote  it,  more  than  a  year  since. 


MUCH  TO    BE   DONE.  285 

indicate  the  near  approach  of  that  day  of  millen- 
nial glory,  so  long-  since  predicted,  and  so  long 
expected  by  the  Christian  Church. 

Notwithstanding,  however,  these  favourable 
sj^mptoms  in  the  body  politic,  and  these  evi- 
dences of  new  life  in  the  body  ecclesiastic,  there 
still  remains  much,  very  much  indeed,  to  be  done 
before  the  universal  reign  of  Jesus  Christ  shall 
be  seen  and  felt.  To  accomplish  this  grand  con- 
summation, the  Clmrch  must  arise  in  the  majesty 
of  her  strength,  or,  rather,  in  the  strength  of 
her  divine  Head,  and  in  His  Name  put  forth  her 
utmost  energies,  regardless  of  danger,  regardless 
of  the  sacrifice  of  wealth,  of  labour,  both  in  the 
ministry  and  membership,  and  unitedly  go  forth 
to  the  conquest  of  the  world.  So  far  from  this 
being  a  time  to  pause  in  our  career  of  usefulness, 
to  rest  from  our  labour,  or  to  relax  in  any  mea- 
sure in  our  efforts,  it  is  the  time — the  very  time — 
for  renewed  exertions — for  renewed  sacrifices — 
and  for  the  exercise  of  strong  faith  in  God — for 
unremitting  and  prayerful  diligence  in  the  cause 
of  man's  salvation. 

These  are  the  subjects  chiefly  dwelt  upon  in 
the  preceding  numbers.  How  far  they  are  cal- 
culated to  accomplish  their  design,  I  presume 
not  to  determine ;  but  this  one  thing  I  am  fully 
conscious  of,  and  that  is,  that  they  have  been 


286  RECAPITULATION. 

penned  under  a  high  sense  of  responsibility; 
and  hence  I  have  found  my  own  heart  much  en- 
larged and  warmed  with  divine  love  while  thus 
employed,  and  feel  therefore  that  I  have  not 
run  without  being  sent. 

Should  then  any  one  find  himself  quickened 
into  new  life  and  activity  by  reading  what  I  have 
written,  let  him  give  God  the  glory,  and  then 
enter  upon  his  work  with  renovated  faith  and 
courage.  If  only  thus  much  is  done,  I  shall  not 
lose  my  reward ;  for  he  that  is  thus  affected  will 
communicate  the  holy  impulse  he  may  feel  to 
another,  and  that  other  to  his  fellow- Christian, 
and  so  the  work  will  spread  from  heart  to  heart, 
until,  finally,  "Many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and 
knowledge  shall  be  increased,"  and  the  wake, 
though  small  in  the  beginning,  will  continually 
enlarge  its  circumference  until  it  shall  be  co-ex- 
tensive with  the  whole  himaan  family.  As  to 
making  a  general  and  simultaneous  impression 
upon  the  whole  Church,  much  less  upon  the 
whole  world,  at  one  and  the  same  time,  I  have 
no  faith  in  it,  though  doubtless  the  work  of  re- 
formation will  become  more  and  more  general, 
more  and  more  deep  and  genuine,  as  it  progresses, 
— the  work  of  justification  and  sanctification  will 
continually  increase  in  power  and  influence,  and 
the  holy  example  of  God's  people  will  be  more 


DEDICATION  TO    GOD.  287 

and  more  powerfully  felt,  and  hence  will  be  of 
more  and  more  beneficial  influence.  We  must 
therefore  first  excite  one  to  renewed  action,  by 
strengthening  his  faith  in  the  promises  of  God, 
and  he  will  lead  another,  and  then  others,  and 
thus  a  powerful  stimulus  will  be  applied  to  the 
hearts  of  God's  people,  and  so  the  movement 
will  continually  enlarge  its  circumference,  until 
finally  the  whole  Christian  world  will  be  in  a 
vigorous  motion  in  the  right  direction.  "The 
Spirit  and  the  bride"  must  first  "say,  Come," 
and  then  those  who  obey  the  invitation  will  join 
their  fellows  in  saying  "Come,"  and  they  will 
ultimately  all  unite  in  one  simultaneous  cry,  utter- 
ing the  thrilling  invitation,  "  Let  whosoever  will, 
come,  and  take  of  the  waters  of  life  freely." 

What  I  wish  above  all  other  things  is,  that  I 
may  be  instrumental,  in  the  first  place,  in  causing 
the  Methodists,  in  the  way  just  now  indicated, 
to  see  and  duly  appreciate  the  high  obligations 
they  are  under  to  Almighty  God,  in  consequence 
of  their  innumerable  and  unmerited  blessings,  to 
dedicate  themselves,  in  soul  and  body,  in  time 
and  substance,  to  God — that  they  should  seek 
after — seek  with  earnestness — with  persevering 
faith  and  prayer, — an  entire  sanctification  of 
their  natures — to  make  an  entire  consecration  of 
their  all  to  the  service  of  God.     Let  this  be  their 


288  KECAPITULATION. 

primary  object — the  mark  at  which  they  con- 
stantly aim.  Let  the  ministers,  from  a  deep  con- 
viction of  its  attainableness,  press  the  necessity 
of  this  home  upon  themselves  and  all  their  peo- 
ple. Let  the  ministers  especially  remember  that 
they  who  bear  the  vessels  of  the  Lord  should 
have  clean  hands  and  pure  hearts.  God's  de- 
sign is  that  the  sons  of  Levi  should  be  holy,  for 
then  shall  their  offerings  be  well-pleasing  in  His 
sight. 

This  accomplished,  they  will  feel  the  energies 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  working  mightily  in  them, 
begetting  a  holy  ardour  in  the  cause  of  God, 
which  will  prompt  them  to  every  good  word  and 
work.  Their  "  work  of  faith  and  labour  of  love" 
will  be  acceptable,  and  their  prayers  will  be 
heard  and  answered.  The  pride  of  sect,  the 
pride  of  self,  that  cursed  love  of  money,  by 
w^iich  so  many  souls  are  ruined,  and  the  charac- 
ter of  some  ministers  blasted  forever — the  love 
of  personal  aggrandizement,  and  the  pride  of 
Pharisaism,  will  all  be  destroyed,  and  the  love 
of  God  and  man,  that  burning  desire  which 
prompts  its  possessor  to  continual  acts  of  self- 
denial,  to  deeds  of  noble  heroism  in  the  cause 
of  Christ,  will  have  taken  the  place  of  those 
earth-born  passions,  and  all  such  will  move  for- 
ward in  one  firm  and  harmonious  phalanx  against 


EFFECTS   OF  DILIGENCE.  289 

error  and  sin,  and  never  lay  down  their  arms 
until  the  world  is  conquered  to  Christ. 

To  my  more  immediate  brethren  I  beg  per- 
mission to  say,  "  Be  steadfast,  immovable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord."  That  God 
had  a  special  design,  and  that  a  benevolent  one, 
in  raising  up  the  Methodists,  I  have  no  doubt. 
So  long  as  they  continue  to  be  "  co-workers  with 
Him,"  strive  to  promote  His  cause  with  all  pu- 
rity and  sincerity,  He  will  continue  to  smile  upon 
them,  and  prosper  the  work  of  their  hearts  and 
hands.  If,  however,  they  should  cease  thus  to 
do,  but  should  "  turn  aside  to  vain  janghng," 
preach  or  write  from  vain  glory,  seek  to  be 
great  instead  of  studying  to  be  good,  they  may 
expect  God's  frown  to  be  substituted  for  His 
smile,  and  they  will  soon  sink  down  into  a  spirit 
of  lukewarmness,  will  gradually  imbibe  a  vain- 
glorious spirit,  and  finally  be  distinguished  for 
having  a  "form  of  godhness,  but  denying  the 
power  thereof." 

On  the  other  hand,  if  they  shall  live  up  to 
their  high  and  distinguished  privileges,  im- 
prove their  advantages  with  conscientious  dili- 
gence, and  unitedly  go  forward  in  their  work, 
preaching  their  doctrine,  enforcing  their  disci- 
pline, so  as  to  "  purge  out  the  old  leaven  of 
mahce  and  wickedness,"  wherever  it  is  found, 
19 


290  KECAPITULATIOX. 

whether  in  high  or  low  places,  God  "will  make 
them  still  a  praise  in  the  earth,  and  they  shall 
continue  to  be  instrumental  in  diflfusing  light 
and  heat — the  hght  of  truth  and  the  heat  of 
love — throughout  the  wide  circle  of  their  in- 
fluence. 

That  this  may  be  done,  and  that  these  an- 
ticipations may  be  fully  realized,  let  us  conse- 
crate ourselves  anew  to  the  service  of  God. 
Laying  aside  our  bickerings  about  little,  unim- 
portant things,  and  "  forgetting  the  things  which 
are  behind,  let  us  press  towards  the  mark  of 
the  prize  of  our  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  May  God  send  his  choicest  benedic- 
tions upon  his  Church,  and  cause  her  to  become 
"the  perfection  of  beauty,"  out  of  which  he 
*'  shall  continue  to  shine"  until  the  whole  world 
shall  become  enlightened,  and  raise  one  univer- 
sal song  of  praise  to  God,  "  who  hath  washed 
them,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb." 


I 


APPENDIX. 


No.  I. 


Au  examination  of  the  definition,  "  Methodism  without  philoso- 
phy"— A  reply  to  P. — Two  errors  do  not  constitute  a  truth — 
The  author  deviates  from  his  general  rule,  for  the  purpose  of 
testing  the  solidity  of  the  above  maxim — He  acknowledges  an 
inadvertence  in  language— On  this  account  excuses  P.  for 
some  things  he  has  said,  but  rebukes  him  for  others — These 
things  an  evidence  of  human  infirmity — The  erroneousness  of 
the  definition — It  excludes  doctrines,  usages,  and  ordinances 
— Makes  Methodism  without  body  and  soul — The  definition 
denied— It  contemns  God's  inspired  messengers — the  re- 
formers— Wesley  himself— Theological  schools  not  the  nur- 
series of  heresies — Proved  in  sundry  instances — Nor  are  col- 
leges— An  apology  for  these  schools — May  be  useful — If  Me- 
thodism be  religion  without  philosophy,  then  no  true  religion 
till  Methodism  arose — Tiiis  proved — What  Methodism  is. 

Is  "  Methodism  religion  without  philosophy  ?"  I  think 
not.  For  dissenting,  however,  from  this  assumed 
apothegm,  I  have  been  taken  to  task  by  an  anony- 
mous writer  in  the  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal 
of  March  8,  1849,  in  which  he  endeavours  to  make 
it  appear  that  I  have  been  equally  inconsistent  with 
the  author  of  the  above  definition  of  Methodism. 
Allowing  this  to  be  true,  I  perceive  not  how  it  can 
prove  the  accuracy  of  the  definition,  unless  the 
writer  absurdly  supposes  that  two  inconsistencies 
can  produce  one  consistency,  or  that  two  errors 
can  constitute  a  truth. 


*292  APPENDIX. NO.    I. 

For  the  i~)iirposc  of  an  examination  of  the  truth 
of  this  definition  of  Methodism,  and  of  testing  the 
solidity  of  the  reasoning  of  P.,  as  my  anonymous 
and  friendly  antagonist  has  chosen  to  designate  him- 
self, I  have  concluded  to  deviate,  in  this  instance, 
from  my  general  rule,  not  to  notice  an  anonymous 
assailant,  and  endeavour  to  furnish  an  answer  to 
some  of  his  allegations.  I  can  do  this  now  the  more 
leisurely,  and,  I  trust,  also  in  the  spirit  of  brotherly 
love,  as  I  have  finished  my  numbers  on  the  State 
and  Responsibilities  of  the  Church,  and  have  con- 
sequently liad  time  to  pray  over  and  to  dehberate 
upon  it.  Indeed,  I  was  determined  not  to  be  di- 
verted from  the  course  marked  out  for  me  by  any 
trivial  cause,  until  I  had  completed  what  I  had  to 
say  on  those  subjects.  My  friend  P.  will  please  ac- 
cept this  as  an  apology  for  delaying  so  long  to  no- 
tice his  brotherly  strictures. 

In  the  first  place,  I  have  to  acknowledge  a  little 
inadvertence  in  my  language  in  the  piece  on  which 
P.  animadverts,  in  saying  that  the  Methodists  had 
"added"  to  the  cardinal  doctrines  I  had  just  enu- 
merated that  of  "  entire  sanctification  of  soul  and 
body  to  God,  or  hohness  of  heart  and  life,"  which 
inadvertence  has  afforded  P.  a  gracious  opportunity 
of  displaying  his  wit,  by  an  unmeaning  play  upon 
words,  as  though,  because  I  had  perpetrated  a  blun- 
der, therefore  his  friend  was  unquestionably  right. 
This  is  just  as  logical  as  it  would  be  for  me  to  con- 
clude, that  because  B.  is  guilty  of  drunkenness, 
therefore  A.  is  justified  in  profane  swearing. 


1 


ArPEKDIX. NO.  I.  '299 

But,  in  consideration  of  the  above  inadvertence 
in  language,  I  excuse  P.  for  some  things  he  has  said, 
though  they  amount  to  just  nothing  in  his  favour, 
as  we  shall  more  fully  see  presently ;  and  proceed  to 
remark,  that  it  by  no  means  excuses  him  from  quot- 
ing me  wrong  in  another  particular.  He  represents 
me  as  saying  that  we  had  "  added"  "  the  direct  wit- 
ness of  the  Spirit,  with  its  inseparable  fruits ;"  whereas 
my  words  are,  "  I  know  not  but  that  I  should  add  the 
doctrine  of  the  direct  witness,  and  its  inseparable  re- 
sults, the  fruits  of  the  Spirit ;  as  these,  however  close- 
ly they  may  be  incoi'porated  in  their  articles  of  faith, 
and  alluded  to  in  their  formularies  of  devotion,  are 
not  insisted  upon  by  other  denominations  as  they 
should  be,  in  their  public  instructions,  or  in  the  incul- 
cations of  the  pulpit."  Now,  is  not  here  a  full  ac- 
knowledgment that  this  doctrine  of  the  witness  and 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  was  held  by  the  other  denomina- 
tions to  which  I  allude  ? — and  therefore  I  intro- 
duced the  remarks  by  the  hypothetical  phrase,  "  I 
know  not,"  intimating  thereby  that  I  doubted  the 
propriety  of  saying  that  this  should  be  added,  be- 
cause I  was  aware  that  it  was  "  incorporated  in  their 
articles  of  faith,  and  alluded  to  in  their  formula- 
ries of  devotion,"  and  hence  I  mentioned  it  merely 
because  it  was  not  "  insisted  upon  as  it  should  be  in 
their  public  instructions." 

The  same  should  have  been  said,  I  allow,  in  re- 
spect to  "  entire  sanctification,  or  holiness  of  heart 
and  life,"  as  this  doctrine  is  also  contained  in  their 
"  articles  of  faith,  and  alluded  to  in  their  formula- 


294  APPENDIX. NO.   I. 

ries  of  devotion,"  "  but  it  is  brought  out  more  promi- 
nently by  us  than  it  is  by  other  denominations," 
which  is  the  alteration  I  have  made  in  the  copy  I 
have  to  print  by,  should  the  numbers  be  printed  in 
a  book. 

Thus  much  I  have  thought  it  right  to  say,  both  in 
justice  to  myself  and  in  excuse  for  my  anonymous 
critic,  as  well  as  by  way  of  rebuke  for  his  inadvert- 
ence in  misrepresenting  me,  by  quoting  my  words 
erroneously.  I  have  had  too  much  experience  in 
composing  and  transcribing  not  to  know  the  diffi- 
culty of  expressing  one's  self  always  accurately,  or 
of  selecting  the  most  suitable  word  to  convey  the 
idea  that  occupies  the  mind,  to  attribute  the  above 
inaccuracy  of  P.  to  wilful  misrepresentation ;  but  he 
was  so  elated  with  the  thought  that  he  had  caught 
me  in  a  trap,  and  therefore  could  involve  me  in  the 
same  dilemma  in  which  I  had  involved  his  friend, 
that  he  not  only  overlooked  the  illogical  inference 
which  he  drew,  namely,  "  that  two  wrongs  make 
a  right,"  but  also,  unintentionally,  misquoted  my 
words. 

Lea-ving  him  and  our  readers  to  meditate  upon 
these  sad  evidences  of  human  infirmitj',  and  taking, 
for  the  present,  no  further  notice  of  the  criticisms 
of  my  unknown  friend  P.,  whose  remarks  speak 
more  favourably  for  his  heaii;  than  they  do  for  his 
head,  I  will  now  endeavour  to  test  the  soundness  of 
the  maxim,  that  "  Methodism  is  rehgion  without 
philosophy."  That  I  might  not  misapprehend  the 
author,  I  have  re-read  the  article  on  that  subject  ia 


APPENDIX. NO.  I.  205 

the  Methodist  Quarterly  Review,  and  am  more 
deeply  than  ever  convinced  of  the  utter  absurdity 
of  the  definition. 

TMioever  will  read  that  article  with  attention, 
will  find  that  its  author  excludes  from  Methodism 
all  its  doctrines,  whether  peculiar  or  otherwise,  even 
the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  the  doctrine  of  regenera- 
tion and  sanctification  ;  all  its  peculiar  modes  of 
operation,  such  as  class-meetings,  and  the  itinerancy, 
or  any  other  peculiarity  by  which  we  have  been  all 
along  distinguished  ;  none  of  these  things,  according 
to  him,  make  any  part  of  Methodism.  Why  not  ? 
Simply,  the  author  says,  because  it  existed  without 
and  before  them.  Well,  then,  according  to  this 
writer's  opinion,  Methodism  could  exist  and  flourish 
independently  of  the  doctrine  of  the  eternity  and 
unity,  and  other  perfections  of  God ;  the  Deity,  in- 
carnation, and  atonement  of  Christ ;  the  doctrine  of 
repentance,  justification,  and  sanctification  of  the 
sinner,  and  all  those  cardinal  truths  by  which  we 
have  been  characterized  from  the  beginning,  and 
likewise  all  those  usages  by  which  we  have  been 
distinguished  from  other  denominations. 

These  excluded,  what  have  we  left  ?  Why,  a 
"  religion  without  philosophy"  Yes,  and  without 
divinity  too.  For  if  all  our  doctrines  are  discarded 
as  constituting  no  part  of  Methodism,  then  we  have 
a  Methodism  that  is  a  religion  without  doctrines  I 
But,  according  to  him,  both  our  class-meetings  and 
itinerancy  may  be  laid  aside,  as  neither  do  they 
constitute  any  part  of  Methodism,  because,  says  he, 


29G  Al'PEXDIX. NO.   I. 

it  existed  before  them.  Here,  tlien,  vre  have  a  Me- 
thodism stripped  of  all  its  doctrines,  of  its  mode  of 
propagating  them,  in  a  word,  of  all  its  cardinal  prin- 
ciples, and  all  its  external  features  ;  for  he  says  that 
its  church  organization  is  no  part  of  it,  inasmuch  as 
it  existed  before  any  such  organization,  and  finally 
stripped  of  its  philosophy.  Pray  tell  us  what  we 
have  left.  It  has  neither  a  soul  nor  a  body.  It 
may,  therefore,  be  classed  with  Berkeley  and  Hume's 
ideal  world,  having  no  existence  but  in  the  imagi- 
nation of  deluded  mortals. 

What  perception  can  we  possibly  form  of  a  reli- 
gion destitute  of  all  its  fundamenti\l  principles,  and 
of  all  its  peculiar  modes  of  operation,  and  which, 
therefore,  has  neither  shape  nor  consistence  ? 

It  has,  in  fact,  neither  doctrines,  organization,  or- 
dinances, nor  any  peculiar  means  of  procedure, 
such  as  class-meetings  and  the  itinerancy,  and 
hence  it  is  bereft  of  every  feature  of  either  shape 
or  substance,  not  having  even  the  meager  form 
of  ^^philosophy"  to  distinguish  it  among  its  fellow 
isms. 

But,  independently  of  these  absurd  puerilities,  I 
positively  deny  that  "  Methodism  is  religion  without 
philosophy,"  unless  the  author  meant  by  philosophy, 
a  false,  spurious,  skeptical  philosophy,  which,  from 
the  subsequent  parts  of  his  article,  it  appears  he  did 
not ;  for  surely  he  did  not  mean  to  assert,  as  censo- 
rious as  he  was  upon  Methodist  preachei's,  that  they 
had  adopted  such  a  system  of  infidel  philosophy,  by 
the  adoption  of  which  they  had  vitiated  their  ^Metho 


APXENDIX. NO.   I.  297 

dism,  and  rendered  their  ministrations  inert,  ineffi- 
cient, and  powerless.  He  mnst  have  meant,  there- 
fore, that  philosophy  which  is  distinguished  by  a 
course  of  consecutive  reasoning,  otherwise  his  obser- 
vations could  have  no  point,  no  appropriateness ; 
for  surely  he  did  not  spend  his  strength  to  prove 
that  pure  religion  was  not  mixed  up  with  an  infidel 
philosophy,  and  that  the  Methodist  preachers,  for 
whose  special  benefit  he  wrote,  had  incorporated 
this  spurious  offspring  of  a  disordered  imagination 
into  their  method  of  preaching. 

Now,  to  say  that  philosophy,  or  a  method  of  con- 
secutive reasoning,  is  incompatible  with  Methodism, 
or  pure  religion,  is  to  contemn  God's  inspired  pro- 
phets, the  Lord  Jesus,  and  his  apostles,  who  all  rea- 
soned with  the  people  in  the  most  cogent  manner, 
as  well  as  dehvered  their  messages  in  an  authorita- 
tive or  commanding  style.  To  quote  the  numerous 
texts  of  sacred  Scripture  in  support  of  this  assei'tion 
would  be  almost  an  endless  task,  as  the  Bible 
abounds  with  examples  of  this  sort. 

It  is  to  contemn  Wesley  himself — to  say  nothing 
of  all  the  reformers  who  preceded  him — who  was 
among  the  most  acute  and  accomplished  logicians  of 
his  age,  whose  writings  abound  with  philosophical 
disquisitions,  and  whose  treatise  upon  logic  is  among 
the  most  erudite,  as  well  as  short  and  compreliensive 
treatises  we  have  upon  that  subject.  And  how  se- 
verely did  he  criticise  Locke  for  his  aversion  to 
logic  !  He  teach  a  "  religion  without  philoitoply  !'* 
Never !     Read  his  sermons,  his  appeal  to  men  of 


298  ArPENDix. — NO.  I. 

reason  and  religion,  and  his  various  tracts  upon  dif- 
ferent subjects,  and  you  will  soon  find  yourself  in 
company  with  a  man  that  could  bring  all  his  vast  in- 
tellectual powers  to  bear  with  luminous  effect  upon 
doctrinal,  experimental,  and  practical  religion,  illus- 
trating the  whole  by  the  finest  touches  of  reason,  or 
true  philosophy.  He  could  show,  and  did  show, 
that  the  religion  of  the  Bible  was  perfectly  conso- 
nant with  the  purest  dictates  of  reason ;  that  it  is 
founded  in  the  immutable  relations  subsisting  among 
God's  rational  creatures — their  relation  to  Gk)d,  to 
one  another,  and  to  the  world,  both  animate  and  in- 
animate, around  them.  This  was  no  ''  religion  with- 
out philosophy,"  without  doctrines,  without  forms  of 
worship,  a  mere  ideal  thing — if  it  be  not  nonsense 
to  caU  such  an  imaginary  phantom  a  thing — exist- 
ing I  know  not  where. 

But  the  object  of  the  writer  I  am  considering  is 
obvious  enough.  He  aimed  a  blow  at  theological 
seminaries.  His  remarks  upon  these  show  either  a 
total  misapprehension  of  their  history  and  character, 
or,  what  is  far  worse,  a  culpable  misrepresentation. 
He  says,  "  that  almost,  if  not  fully,  all  the  pestilen- 
tial errors  which  have  become  prevalent  in  the  seve- 
ral branches  of  the  Church,  may  be  traced  to  these 
seminaries." 

This  assertion,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  betrays  great 
prejudice  against  institutions  which,  though  liable 
to  great  abuse — and  what  good  thing  has  not  been 
abused  by  the  ignorance,  selfishness,  and  pride  of 
men,  even  the  purest  system  of  religion  ever  re- 


APPENDIX. NO.   I.  299 

vealed  to  the  world* — have  been  instrumental  of 
diffusing  much  light  upon  the  world.  But  to  say- 
that  "  nearly  all  the  pestilential  errors  in  the  several 
branches  of  the  Church  may  be  traced  to  theological 
seminaries,"  shows  an  inexcusable  inattention  to  ec- 
clesiastical history,  or  a  want  of  an  accurate  acquaint- 
ance with  the  current  of  events.  This,  coming  as  it 
does  from  a  man  who  has  made  the  profound  dis- 
covery that  "  Methodism  is  religion  without  philoso- 
phy," is  deserving  of  a  severer  rebuke  than  I  shall 
take  it  upon  me  to  administer. 

It  is  but  sixty-five  years  since  the  first  theological 
seminary  was  established  in  the  United  States,  and 
this  was  founded  by  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church, 
in  New-Brunswick,  N.  J.,  in  1 784.  The  next  was 
established  by  the  CongregationaHsts,  in  Andover, 
Mass.,  in  1808.  Then  followed  the  one  in  Prince- 
ton, N.  J.,  in  1812,  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Presbyterian  Chiu'ch.  Since  that  time  they  have 
been  established  by  nearly  all  the  orthodox  deno- 
minations in  the  country,  and  now  amount  to  thirty- 
five,!  including  the  one  among  the  Methodists,  in 
Concord,  N.  H. 

Have  these  generated  neariy  all  the  heresies  with 

"  *'  For  naught  so  vile  that  on  the  earth  doth  live 
But  to  the  earth  some  special  good  doth  give ; 
Nor  aught  so  good,  but,  strain'd  from  that  fair  use, 
Revolts  from  true  birth,  stumbling  on  abuse  : 
Virtue  itself  turns  vice,  being  misapplied ; 
And  vice  sometimes  by  action  digni&ed."—Shaksp€ar«, 
t  See  American  Almanac  for  1848, 


300  APPENDIX. XO,    T. 

which  the  Church  has  been  afflicted,  and  the  pure 
truths  of  the  Gospel  corrupted  ?  Unless  our  author 
counts  the  peculiarities  of  Calvinism  among  heresies, 
I  know  not  a  single  heresiarch  who  has  been  fos- 
tered in  any  of  these  schools ;  and  even  allowing 
these  to  be  heresies,  they  did  not  originate  in  these 
seminaries,  for  they  were  propagated  long  before 
these  were  founded.  And  Arianism,  which  sprang 
up  in  the  4th  century,  and  Socinianism,  or  Unita- 
rianism,  which  originated  in  the  16th  centur}',  or 
Universalism,  which  sprang  up  among  the  Re- 
formers of  the  17th  century,  allowing  them  to  be 
heresies,  did  not  originate  from  theological  schools, 
but  from  men  of  a  disputatious  spirit,  and  too  cu- 
rious in  their  speculations  on  the  Divine  character, 
and  of  his  designs  to  our  fallen  world. 

As  to  mere  modern  heresies,  such  as  INlilleriteism, 
Mormonism,  and  other  kindred  sects  of  heretics,  no 
man  who  is  acquainted  with  their  originators  will  ac- 
cuse them  of  being  over  learned,  or  as  having  re- 
ceived their  lessons  in  theological  seminaries.  In  a 
word,  though  some  of  the  heresiarchs  were  both 
learned  and  wise  in  \vorldly  wisdom,  the  far  greater 
number  of  them,  and  especially  those  who  were  dis- 
tinguished by  the  grossness  of  their  errors,  were 
more  characterized  by  their  stupid  ignorance,  mixed 
it  is  true  with  much  low  cunning,  than  they  were 
for  either  learning  or  piety.  So  far  are  these 
schools  from  being  responsible  for  the  absurdities 
involved  in  the  above  heresies,  they  have  produced 
men  of  the  most  profound  theological  knowledge 


APPENDIX. NO.    I.  301 

and  deep  piety  of  which  any  age  of  the  Church  can 
boast. 

If  our  author  aUudes  to  the  ancient  schools  of  the 
Church,  which  I  presume  he  did  not,  his  assertion  is 
equally  wide  of  the  mark.  Whence  sprang  the 
Gnostics,  the  Cerinthians,  the  Nazarenes,  and  the 
Ebionites,  of  the  first  and  second  centuries  ?  Cer- 
tainly not  from  theological  schools,  for  there  were 
none  such  in  existence.*  And  whence  originated 
Mohammedanism,  the  most  corrupt  and  gigantic  of 

*  I  know  that  Mosheim  supposes  that  there  were  such 
seminaries  in  the  first  and  second  centuries ;  but  his  learned 
fa-anslator,  Murdock,  very  justly  doubts  the  fact,  and  in- 
deed makes  it  evident  that  the  schools  referred  to  could 
have  been  no  higher  than  catechetical  schools,  designed  for 
the  initiation  of  young  people  into  the  principles  of  Chris- 
tianity. They  were  not  intended  for  the  theological  instruc- 
tion of  ministers.  The  schools  afterwards  established  iu 
Alexandria,  and  other  places,  I  grant,  by  being  taught  by 
men  who  were  but  half  Cluristians,  at  best,  became  the  pro- 
lific source  of  numerous  errors.  By  endeavoiu-ing  to  blend 
the  Platonic  philosophy  with  Christianity,  they  gradually 
corrupted  the  latter,  until  it  finally  degenerated  into  a 
gloomy  system  of  monkery  and  superstition. 

From  this  same  source  originated  the  scholastic  theology, 
which  professed  to  explain  Scripture  facts  and  truths  by 
the  rides  of  metaphysics.  But  these  schools  were  not  es- 
tablished for  the  exclusive  benefit  of  ministers,  though  many 
of  them  were  educated  in  them.  They  were  as  unlike  our 
modern  theological  seminaries  as  the  cloak  of  St.  Paul  Avas 
to  a  modern  surplice.  But  I  presume  our  author  had  no  re- 
ference to  those  ancient  schools,  but  to  modern  theological 
seminaries.  See  Mosh.,  vol.  i,  pp.  81,  HI,  168,  177,  178, 
182,  262,  320,  387,  408,  135. 


302  APPE^•D1X. NO.    I. 

all  the  heresies  which  ever  brooded  over  our  "world  ? 
Was  its  author  educated  in  a  theological  seminary  ? 
He  arose  in  the  seventh  century  ;  and  was  so  ignorant 
of  letters  that  he  could  neither  read  nor  write,  from 
which  his  followers  inferred  the  divinity  of  his  mis- 
sion. And  this  proves  incontestably  that  error  or 
heresy  is  oftener  associated  with  unlettered  igno- 
rance than  with  sound  learning ;  for  the  more 
deeply  and  soundly  learned  a  man  is,  and  especially 
if  he  be  pious,  the  more  modest  and  humble  he  is ; 
whereas  an  ignorant  fanatic — and  all  errorists  are 
fanatics — is  characterized  by  unblushing  effronter)-. 
Of  the  truth  of  this  Mohammed  is  a  witness — and 
the  father  of  Mormonism  another. 

These  pestilential  heresies  originated  from  that 
pride  which  is  always  associated  -Nnth  ignorance, 
and  displays  its  folly  in  being  "  wise  above  what  is 
written."  And  so  all  the  destructive  heresies  which 
originated  from  time  to  time  in  the  early  ages  of  the 
Church,  may  be  traced,  not  to  Christian  schools,  of 
which  there  were  exceedingly  few,  and  those  few 
were  designed  chiefly  for  catechumens,  but  to  the 
morbid  imagination  -  of  men  who  endeavoured  to 
blend  Christianity  with  the  fanciful  reveries  of  hea- 
then mythology,  Platonic  philosophy,  and  Jewish 
fable.  But  what  have  these  to  do  with  theological 
seminaries,  as  now  constituted  and  conducted  ? 

If  the  writer  under  review  means  by  theological 
seminaries,  those  colleges  where  the  arts  and  sciences 
are  taught,  together  with  such  theological  studies  as 
are  pursued  by  those  students  who  are  designed  for 


APPENDIX. NO.  I.  303 

the  Gospel  ministiy,  then  his  declaration  is  equally- 
erroneous,  as  comparatively  few  of  these  have  been 
heretical,  though  they  have  generally  fallen  short 
of  a  thorough  training  in  experimental  and  practi- 
cal divinity.  And  as  to  these  schools  or  colleges, 
we  are  indebted  to  them,  under  the  grace  of  God, 
for  some  of  the  greatest  lights  the  world  has  ever 
seen.  All  the  reformers,  Luther,  Melancthon, 
Knox,  Cranmer,  were  thorough  scholars,  learned  in 
all  the  arts  and  sciences,  deeply  read  in  history  and 
philosophy.  And  were  not  Wesley  and  Fletcher 
taught  in  colleges,  and  were  they  a  whit  behind  any 
of  their  fellow-students  in  sound  learning,  in  deep 
experience,  as  well  as  in  true  philosophy  ?  Here- 
sies are  oftener  found,  as  before  remarked,  asso- 
ciated with  unlettered  ignorance,  than  with  those 
whose  minds  have  been  expanded  with  learning. 
And  who  shall  defend  Christianity  when  it  is  as- 
sailed by  the  cunning  artifices  of  an  infidel  philoso- 
phy, by  the  ingenious  sophistries  of  learned  skeptics  ? 
Can  ignorance  grapple  with  these  giant  intellects  ? 
Can  unlettered  men  meet  learned  infidels,  who  pro- 
fess to  derive  their  objections  from  history,  ancient 
and  modern,  from  verbal  criticisms  upon  the  mean- 
ing of  the  learned  languages,  and  from  philosophical 
disquisitions  which  profess  to  dive  into  the  nature 
of  things  ?  If  the  Church  had  been  left  to  such  un- 
lettered defenders,  she  would  have  been  long  since 
buried  beneath  the  rubbish  of  error,  of  heresy,  and 
unbelief 

1  am  no  advocate  for  theological  seminaries,  con- 


304  AFPEInDIX. MO.    I. 

sidered  distinct  and  apart  from  our  colleges,  though 
I  am  far  from  believing  that  they  either  have  been 
or  are  the  nurseries  of  heresies.  Nor  can  I  see  any 
reason  -why  sound  theology  may  not  be  taught, 
guarded,  and  defended  as  thoroughly  in  a  theologi- 
cal school,  as  it  can  be  in  the  closet  or  in  the  pulpit. 
May  not  these  schools  be  put  under  the  tuition  of 
orthodox  ministers,  deeply  experienced  in  divine 
things?  and  may  they  not  urge  upon  their  pupils 
Scriptural  doctrines,  the  necessity  of  heart-felt  reli- 
gion, of  experimental  and  practical  piety,  just  as 
zealously  and  successfidly  as  it  can  be  done  in  the 
pulpit,  and  at  the  same  tune  much  more  systemati- 
cally and  efficiently  ?  The  fact  is,  heresies  of  all 
kinds  spring  up  from  the  corrupt  pool  of  human  de- 
pravity, are  fostered  in  the  school  of  ignorance,  and 
strengthened  and  perpetuated  by  prejudice  and 
pride ;  and  therefore  the  most  effectual  way  to 
guard  against  them  is  to  imbue  the  mind  with  sound 
learning,  to  have  the  heart  purified  by  the  fire  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  to  keep  up  a  constant  obe- 
dience to  all  the  commandments  of  God. 

But  I  intimated  t,hat  if  "Methodism  be  religion 
without  philosophy,"  if  he  meant  by  Methodism,  as 
I  suppose  he  did,  pure  religion,  in  distinction  from 
all  other  systems  of  religion,  then  it  foUows  of  ne- 
cessity tliat  until  Methodism  arose  pure  religion  had 
no  existence.  If  this  be  its  distinguishing  feature, 
its  characteristic  peculiarity,  by  which  it  is  distin- 
guished from  all  other  denominations,  it  follows  in- 
evitably that  all  others  have  religion  with  philosophy ; 


APPENDIX. — XO.  I.  305 

and  hence  It  follows,  -witli  equal  conclusiveness,  that 
until  Methodism  arose  there  was  no  pure  religion  in 
the  world  ;  that  until  this  "  religion  without  philoso- 
phy" made  its  appearance,  under  the  guise  of  Me- 
thodism, all  other  isms  were  poisoned  with  the 
foreign  admixture  of  philosophy ;  and  this  there- 
fore alone  purified  the  coiTupt  mass,  and  presented 
the  religion  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  a  pure,  unadul- 
terated state. 

So  far  therefore  from  turning  aside,  or  "  flying  off 
in  a  tangent,"  with  a  view  to  smite  unjustly  "  a  cer- 
tain writer,"  and  thereby  giving  evidence  that  I 
had  lost  my  balance,  as  P.  has  represented  me  as 
having  done,  I  think  that  in  defining  Methodism 
differently  from  him  I  pursued  a  straightforward 
course,  and  finding  that  stumbling-block  in  my  path, 
it  was  incumbent  on  me  to  remove  it  out  of  the  way, 
lest  others  should  stumble  over  it  into  the  pit  of 
error.  Nor  can  I  perceive  that  I  have  drawn  an 
illogical  conclusion  from  the  assumed  apothegm  that 
"  Methodism  is  religion  without  philosophy,"  namely, 
that  if  this  be  so,  then  there  was  no  true  religion 
until  Methodism  arose,  with  its  healing  balm,  to 
eradicate  from  human  souls  the  spiritual  disease 
with  which  they  were  afflicted — that  if  neither  its 
doctrines  nor  peculiar  mode  of  operation,  class-meet- 
ings, itinerancy,  nor  its  organization,  form  any  part 
of  its  characteristic  peculiarity,  it  has  nothing  left 
but  a  floating  idea,  not  having  even  the  meager 
form  of  philosophy  to  cover  its  nakedness. 

These  inferences  appear  to  me  perfectly  legiti- 
20 


306  APPENDIX. NO.   I. 

mate,  as  much  so  as  the  following: — There  can  be 
no  religion  of  the  heart  of  that  man  whose  life  con- 
travenes the  commandments  of  God ;  but  G,  who 
professes  this  religion,  contravenes  the  command- 
ments of  God;  therefore  G  is  deceived,  having  no 
religion  of  the  heart. 

Let  us  try  it. 

There  can  be  no  pure  rehgion  ivith  philosophy ; 
but  all  the  systems  of  religion  were  mixed  with  phi- 
losophy until  Methodism  arose,  which  Is  "  religion 
■ivithout  philosophy ;"  therefore  there  was  no  pure 
religion  until  Methodism  arose  to  purify  it  from 
philosophy. 

If  there  be  any  flaw  in  this  argument  I  cannot 
perceive  it.  And  the  major  and  minor  propositions 
are  contained  in  the  piece  in  the  Methodist  Quar- 
terly Review.  The  conclusion  is  mine,  which  inevi- 
tably follows  from  the  premises. 

I  thought  it  my  duty,  therefore,  and  still  think  so, 
to  remove  the  flimsy  veil  under  which  the  erroneous 
definition  was  hidden,  and  to  unravel  the  sophistry 
by  which  it  was  defended,  and  thus  to  present  the 
truth  without  a  mask  to  the  reader,  that  Methodism 
might  appear  with  all  its  substantial  forms,  adorned 
with  all  its  lovely  features,  resting  upon  the  founda- 
tion of  solid  doctrines,  clothed  with  a  garment  of 
pure  philosophy,  and  actuated  by  a  living  soul, 
breathing  the  breath  of  life  infused  into  it  by  the 
''  inspiration  of  the  Almighty" — that  thus  exhibiting 
a  living,  moving  form,  beautified  by  the  gi-aces  of 
the    Holy    Spirit,    its    '*  faith's    capacity-    stretched 


APPENDIX. NO.   I.  30^ 

wider  and  yet  wider  still,"  it  may  be  seen  even 
now  marcliing  forward  in  its  career  of  usefulness, 
while  its  symmetrical  proportions  may  be  scanned 
by  the  impartial  beholder,  and  still  be  adhered  to 
according  to  its  intrinsic  excellence,  and  its  saving 
power,  and  holy  influence,  felt  and  experienced  far 
and  wide. 

If  I  have  succeeded,  as  I  cannot  but  flatter  myself 
that  I  have,  in  my  main  design,  let  the  reader  thank 
God,  who,  I  humbly  trust,  has  enlightened  the  un- 
derstanding and  assisted  the  pen  of  his  unworthy 
servant,  and  be  encouraged  to  persevere  in  the 
"  work  of  faith,  and  labour  of  love,  and  patience  of 
hope,"  believing  that  God  has  not  yet  forsaken  this 
plant  of  His  own  right  hand  planting,  but  that  it 
still  flourishes  under  His  fostering  care,  like  a  fruit- 
ful vine,  in  the  garden  of  the  Lord.  Let  him  above 
all  things  strive  so  to  live  that  he  may  give  no  occa- 
sion to  the  enemies  of  Methodism,  that  is,  pure 
Christianity,  to  blaspheme  that  worthy  name  by 
which  he  has  been  called. 


308  APPENDIX. — XO.   II. 


No.  n. 

No  good  perceived  from  the  personal  coining  of  Christ ;  though, 
if  this  were  plain!}-  revealed,  we  ought  to  believe  it  neverthe- 
less— Na  such  fact  revealed — Examination  of  those  texts 
generally  relied  on — Do  not  prove  the  fact — If  he  were  thus  to 
come,  it  Avould  be  as  a  man ;  of  course  his  personal  appear- 
ance must  be  restricted  to  a  particular  place — Hence  he  could 
profit  comparatively  but  few  at  a  time — These  difficulties 
overcome  by  his  spiritual  manifestation — This  answers  elU  the 
ends  of  his  intercession — In  tliis  way  he  can  accomplish 
a  great  work  in  a  short  time— The  character  of  the  millennium 
— Not  all  righteous — Proved  from  Daniel  xii,  10,  and  Rev. 
XX,  8-10 — Gog  and  Magog,  what— During  the  period  of  Millen- 
nial glory  some  remain  wicked— More  important  to  have  the 
heart  riglit  than  our  mere  speculations. 

As  to  the  personal  reign  of  the  Lord  Jesus  on  this 
earth,  I  can  see  no  good  to  be  accomplished  by  it, 
though  this,  I  grant,  is  not  a  sufficient  reason  for  its 
rejection ;  because  many  things  are  predicted,  the 
reasons  for  which  far  surpassed  the  comprehension 
of  the  human  mind,  while  their  fulfilment  demon- 
strated the  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness  of  God, 
and  developed  their  fitness  by  the  coming  to  pass 
of  the  events  themselves.  If,  therefore,  this  were  a 
plain  matter  of  fact,  unequivocally  declared  in  the 
word  of  God,  that  Jesus  Chi'ist  should  come  in  his 
own  proper  person  to  reign  among  men,  we  should 
be  compelled  to  receive  it  as  an  article  of  faith, 
however  mysterious  it  might  appear,  and  however 
much  it  might  be  beyond  the  depths  of  human  rea- 
son to  fathom.  But  I  find  no  such  unequivocal 
revelation,  either  in  the  character  of  a  prediction  or 


ArPENDIX. NO   II.  309 

a  declared  fact ;  and  therefore  those  who  profess  to 
believe  it  are  forced  to  deduce  it  from  doubtful 
symbols,  from  predictions  which  will  easily  admit  of 
a  different  interpretation,  or  by  those  uncertain  in- 
ferences on  which  we  may  or  may  not  rely,  accord- 
ing to  the  probabiHty  of  the  data  on  which  they  are 
founded. 

The  only  text  that  I  know  of  which  seems  to 
speak  of  this  personal  appearing  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
to  set  up  his  kingdom  on  this  earth,  is  that  in  Acts 
i,  11,  in  which  it  is  stated  that "  two  men," — whether 
celestial  or  terrestrial  messengers  we  know  not, 
though  most  probably  the  former,  being  angels  of 
God  sent  to  instruct  the  disciples,  whose  doubtful 
minds  hung  trembling  in  the  balance  between  hope 
and  fear — "  stood  by  them  in  shining  apparel,  which 
said.  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up 
into  heaven  ?  this  same  Jesus  which  is  taken  up 
from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner 
as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven."  This  text, 
however,  is  so  far  from  being  an  unequivocal  proof 
of  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  personal  appearance  on 
this  earth,  where  he  will  reign  a  thousand  years, 
that  the  generality  of  commentators  believe  that  it 
refers  to  his  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  to  judge 
the  world — a  truth  most  clearly  revealed  in  nume- 
rous places  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  It  is  much  safer, 
therefore,  to  be  content  with  these  plain  and  un- 
equivocal declarations  of  divine  revelation  respect- 
ing the  second  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  to  judge  the 
world  at  the  last  day,  than  it  is  to  resort  to  any 


310  APPENDIX. NO.  II. 

forced  or  mystical  interpretation  of  those  solemn 
predictions  which  relate  to  future  events,  and  which 
aj-e,  to  make  the  most  of  them,  but  of  a  doubtful 
character. 

I  said  that  I  could  see  no  good  to  be  accomplished 
by  the  personal  appearance  of  Christ  among  men. 
If  He  were  thus  to  appear,  it  must  be  as  a  man,  and 
he  must  associate  with  men,  as  he  did  in  the  days  of 
his  incarnation ;  must  be  located,  for  the  time  being, 
to  a  particular  place,  and  could  therefore  only  be 
seen  and  heard  by  comparatively  few  people  at  one 
and  the  same  time.  Hence  he  could  profit  but  com- 
paratively few  with  his  personal  presence  at  a  time, 
and  therefore  it  would  consume  a  long  period  for 
him  to  travel  all  over  the  world,  for  the  purpose  of 
showing  himself  to  all  its  inhabitants  ;  and  although 
the  news  of  his  having  come  might,  and  doubtless 
would,  spread  rapidly  from  city  to  city,  and  from 
one  country  to  the  other,  yet  this  would  not  satisfy 
the  curiosity  of  men,  nor  produce  that  immediate 
conviction  of  its  truth  necessiiry  to  effect  a  change 
of  heart,  and  the  consequent  reformation  of  life. 
Many  doubts  would  be  raised  in  one  place  respect- 
ing the  truth  of  the  reports  in  another,  and  a  long 
time  would  elapse  before  they  were  removed,  either 
by  the  personal  presence  of  the  Sa^'iour  himself,  or 
those  evidences  of  the  fact  essential  to  produce  con- 
viction. All  these  things  seem  naturally  to  arise 
out  of  the  actual  state  of  things,  considered  in  re- 
ference to  the  constitution  of  the  human  mind. 

If  it  be  said  that  all  these  obstacles  may  be  over- 


Ai'pjb;.\Di.>:. — i\o.  II.  311 

come  Ly  the  operation  of  bis  Spirit  u})OU  the  human 
heart,  and  by  sending  His  messengers  in  every  di- 
rection upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  for  the  purpose 
of  proclaiming  the  fact  that  Jesus  Christ  had  actu- 
ally appeared ;  it  is  answered,  that  all  this  can  be 
done  just  as  effectually  while  He  is  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  as  it  could  be  on  the  supposition 
of  his  being  personally  among  men.  This,  in  fact, 
is  done — the  Spirit  is  sent  everywhere,  to  enlighten 
every  understanding,  to  penetrate  every  heart,  to 
arouse  every  conscience,  to  help  the  infirmities  of 
all  God's  people  in  prayer,  and  praise,  and  in  the 
performance  of  every  good  word  and  work :  God's 
ministers — those  who  have  an  inward  consciousness 
of  His  presence,  and  therefore  speak  under  the 
dictates  of  the  Holy  Spirit — are  sent  out  in  every 
direction,  for  the  purpose  of  proclaiming  the  fact, 
not  indeed  that  Jesus  Christ  has  appeared  person- 
ally on  this  earth,  but  that  He  is  risen  from  the 
dead,  and  that  He  now  liveth  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  where  He  is  ever  making  intercession  for  us. 
Here,  then,  we  have  all  the  purposes  for  which  the 
advocates  for  the  personal  reign  of  Christ  plead,  as 
the  consequence  of  his  thus  appearing,  fully  accom- 
plished by  his  spiritual  manifestation,  and  by  the 
methods  he  has  adopted,  and  does  still  adopt,  for  the 
propagation  of  his  Gospel  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  While,  if  He  were  personally  to  appear — 
assume  a  human  form — which  he  unquestionably 
must  do  if  he  make  a  visible  manifestation  of  him- 
self— he  must  restrict  himself  to  one  particular  place 


312  APPENDIX. NO.   II. 

at  a  time,  and  thus  adopt  the  slow  process  of  travel- 
ling from  city  to  city,  and  from  one  country  to  an- 
other, in  order  to  make  himself  known  to  all  the  in- 
habitants of  our  world.  By  adopting  the  method 
we  have  supposed,  and  which  he  has  actually 
adopted,  namely,  the  spiritual  manifestation  of  him- 
self to  the  understandings  and  consciences  of  all 
men,  he  can  accomplish  a  great  work  in  a  short 
time.  And,  then,  by  raising  up,  inspiring,  and  send- 
ing forth  his  messengers  everywhere,  to  proclaim 
him  as  the  living  God,  to  whom  all  things  are  com- 
mitted,— these,  confirming  the  truth  which  the  "  Spirit 
writes  on  all  truly  awakened  hearts,"  will  co-operate 
together  for  the  speedy  salvation  of  the  world. 

This,  it  appears  to  me.  is  the  way  in  which  God 
will  usher  in  the  glorious  millennium.  ''  Many  shall 
run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased." 
;Many  are  running  to  and  fro  ;  the  number  of  faith- 
ful missionaries  is  increasing,  and  they  are  going 
forth  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  "  proclaiming 
salvation  in  Jesus'  name ;"  and,  as  a  consequence, 
knowledge — the  knowledge  of  forgiveness  of  sins  by 
faith  in  Jesus  Chris't — is  everywhere  increasing. 
Thus  the  new  covenant  which  God  promised  to  es- 
tablish -with  his  people,  namely,  that  he  would  "  write 
his  law  upon  their  hearts,  and  imprint  it  upon  their 
inward  parts ;  so  that  they  should  all  know  him,  from 
the  least  unto  the  greatest,"  is  even  now  opening, 
expanding,  and  being  accomplished  in  all  its  power 
and  glory ;  so  that  very  soon  we  shall  no  longer 
be  under  the  necessity  of  "  saving  one  to  the  other, 


Appendix. — no.  ii.  31b 

Know  the  Lord ;  for  they  shall  all  know  him,  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest." 

And  that  this  is  to  be  understood  in  general  terms, 
not  hterally,  is  manifest  from  various  passages  of 
sacred  Scripture.  Thus,  in  Daniel  xii,  10,  where 
the  prophet  is  evidently  speaking  of  the  latter  day 
glory,  and  of  the  end  of  time,  it  is  said,  "  Many  shall 
be  purified  and  made  white,  and  be  tried;  but  the 
wicked  shall  do  wickedly,  and  none  of  the  wicked 
shall  understand."  These  words  certainly  indicate 
that  when  the  Lord  shall  establish  His  kingdom  upon 
the  earth,  by  the  purifying  process  of  his  Spirit,  by 
which  many  "  shall  be  made  white"  "  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,"  there  shall  be  wicked  men  mingling 
with  the  righteous,  who,  in  resisting  the  operations 
of  his  Spirit  upon  their  consciences,  will  become 
more  and  more  hardened  in  sin,  and  hence  will  con- 
tinue to  do  wickedly,  will  wax  "  worse  and  worse," 
until  they  become  so  blinded  that  they  cannot  "  un- 
derstand" either  the  judgments  or  mercies  of  Al- 
mighty God. 

So  also  in  Rev.  xx,  7-10,  it  is  said,  "When  the 
tliousand  years  are  expired,"  which  all  allow  is  a 
prediction  of  the  end  of  the  millennium,  "  Satan 
shall  be  loosed  from  his  prison,  and  shall  go  out  to 
deceive  the  nations  which  are  in  the  four  quarters 
of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog,  to  gather  them  toge- 
ther to  battle  ;  the  number  of  whom  is  as  the  sand 
upon  the  sea.  And  they  went  up  upon  the  breadth 
of  the  land,  and  compassed  the  camp  of  the  saints 
about,  and  the  beloved  city ;  and  fire  came  down 


31-1  ArPEXblX. —  ^O.    II. 

from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  consumed  them.  And 
the  Devil  that  deceived  them  was  east  into  the  lake 
of  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the  beast  and  false 
prophet  are,  and  shall  be  tormented  day  and  night 
forever  and  ever."  Gog  and  Magog  appear  to  be 
mentioned  here  as  a  personification  of  the  wicked  in- 
habitants which  will  be  found  upon  the  earth  at  the 
close  of  the  millennial  period,  and  whom  God  shall 
destroy  with  the  breath  of  his  mouth,  or  consign 
them  over  to  the  devil  and  his  angels,  to  be  tor- 
mented forever  and  ever  in  the  lake  of  fire,  whence 
the  "  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  without 
end."  Now,  if  every  individual  person  were  really 
righteous  during  the  thousand  years  of  Christ's  reign 
upon  earth,  whence  came  this  mighty  army  of  His 
enemies,  represented  as  being  as  numerous  as  the 
'•  sand  of  the  sea,"  and  who  will  exemplify  their  en- 
mity by  encamping  around  the  saints,  with  a  view, 
no  doubt,  to  destroy  them  ?  It  is  hardly  to  be  sup- 
posed that  such  a  multitude  would  suddenly  aposta- 
tize from  the  faith,  and  turn  open  enemies  to  the 
gospel  of  Christ ;  such  determined  enemies  as  to 
fight  against  them,  with  a  view  to  exterminate  them 
from  the  face  of  the  earth.  To  suppose  that  such  an 
immense  multitude,  who  had  actually  tasted  that  the 
Lord  is  gracious,  had  beheld  His  glory  unveiled  to 
their  souls,  and  had  beheld  his  person  visibly  mani- 
fested to  their  bodily  eyes,  should  suddenly  re- 
nounce his  authority,  abjure  his  religion,  and  blas- 
pheme his  holy  Name,  and,  as  a  consequence,  join 
affinity  with  his  enemies,  is  to  suppose  a  phenome- 


APPENDIX. KO.   II.  315 

nou  in  the  religious  world  far  beyond  any  compari- 
son in  the  history  of  the  Church,  and  totally  unac- 
countable on  either  the  principles  of  Divine  revela- 
tion, or  of  human  nature,  as  mutable  and  perverse 
as  it  unquestionably  is. 

It  is  much  more  rational,  therefore,  as  well  as 
agreeable  to  the  analogy  of  things,  and  in  accord- 
ance with  the  declarations  of  God's  word,  to  believe 
that  during  all  that  period  of  millennial  glory,  there 
were  some  that  remained  "  blinded  by  the  god  of 
this  world ;"  that  by  the  evil  influence  of  their  ex- 
ample the  number  of  the  wicked  gradually  increased ; 
continually  resisting  the  hght  of  Divine  truth,  they 
*'  waxed  woi-se  and  worse,"  corrupted  and  corrupt- 
ing each  other ;  until,  finally,  they  became  so  nume- 
rous, and  so  maddened  in  their  folly,  as  to  suppose 
they  might  overcome  the  saints  of  God  ;  and  hence 
they  are  represented  as  encamping  around  them, 
when  God  appears  to  vindicate  his  own  cause  and 
people,  and  hurls  his  vengeance  on  his  enemies,  by 
casting  them,  and  the  devil  who  deceived  them,  into 
the  bottomless  pit. 

These  are  some  of  the  reasons  for  the  doctrine 
contained  in  the  text,  and  they  appear  fully  suffi- 
cient to  warrant  the  beUef  that  the  millennium  for 
which  we  are  to  look  is  such  a  one  as  therein  de- 
scribed, and  no  other.  Those,  however,  who  think 
differently  are  at  full  liberty  to  enjoy  their  opinion, 
provided  only  they  will  allow  the  same  liberty  to 
me  and  others  who  think  fit  to  dissent  from  them, 
for  the  reasons  above  assigned. 


316  APPENDIX. — NO.   II. 

After  all,  it  is  a  matter  of  much  more  importance 
to  haAe  our  hearts  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  than  it 
is  to  be  accurate  in  our  ^^e"ws  respecting  a  mere 
speculative  point  of  such  a  character  as  the  one 
herein  discussed.  While  I  entertain  no  doubt  of 
the  correctness  of  my  opinion  on  this  subject,  I  am 
perfectly  willing  that  others  should  enjoy  theirs  un- 
molestedly. 


APPENDIX. — NO.  III.  317 

No.  in. 

Population  of  the  World. 

Asia 570,000,000 

Europe 280,000,000 

Africa 90,000,000 

South  America 14,000,000 

North  America 28,000,000 

Oceanica 18,000,000 

1,000,000,000 

Estimated  division  of  the  Religious  Denominations. 

Pagans 630,000,000 

Mohammedans 100,000,000 

Greek  Church 56,000,000 

Armenians  and  Jews 14,000,000 

Roman  Catholics 130,000,000 

Protestants 70,000,000 

1,000,000,000 

Note.  The  above  is  not  set  down  as  perfectly  accurate, 
but  approximates  as  near  the  truth  as  can  well  be  ascer- 
tained from  the  various  documents  which  I  have  consulted. 
And  fi-om  this  statement  of  the  religious  condition  of  the 
world,  we  may  see  the  great  work  to  be  accomplished  before 
' '  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the 
waters  do  the  great  deep." 


318 


APPENDIX. NO.   III. 


Statistics  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

The  following  table  will  show  the  number,  together  with 
the  increase  or  decrease,  from  year  to  year,  of  ministers  and 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  from  the  time 
of  the  first  Conference  held  in  America,  in  the  year  1773 ; 
and  likewise  the  per  centum  of  increase  and  decrease,  as 
well  as  the  average  per  centum  for  the  whole  seventy-six 
years.  The  number  of  travelling  preachers  includes  the  su- 
pernumerary and  superannuated  as  well  as  effective. 

Note. — In  this  table  the  numerous  errors  which  have  crept 
into  the  printed  Minutes  have  been  carefully  corrected,  so 
that  those  who  compare  the  results  here  brought  out  with 
those  in  the  Minutes,  will  find  a  discrepancy  in  many  places  ; 
though  it  is  probable  that  errors  may  still  be  detected,  not- 
withstanding the  endeavour  to  be  accurate. 


Year. 

Preachers. 

Members. 

Increase. 

Decrease. 

Per  cent,  of 
inc.  and  dec. 

1773 

10 

1,160 

1774 

17 

2,073 

913 

79 

1775 

19 

3,148 

1,075 

52 

1776 

24 

4,921 

1,773 

56 

1777 

36 

6,963 

2,047 

42 

1778 

29 

6,095 

873 

13 

1779 

49 

8,577 

2,482 

73 

41 

1780 

42 

8,504 

nearly  1 

1781 

54 

10,539 

2,025 

1782 

59 

11,785 

1,246 

12 

1783 

83 

13,740 

1,955 

17 

1784 

83 

14,983 

1,248 

9 

1785 

104 

18,000 

3,012 

20 

After  this  year  the  white  and  coloured  members  were  re- 
turned in  separate  columns,  and  then  the  whole  were  added 
together  to  make  the  sum  total,  which  method  will  be  fol- 
lowed hereafter. 


APPENDIX. NO.   III. 


319 


Per  cent,  of 

Year. 

Prclirs. 
117 

Whites. 

Colour'd. 

Total. 

Increase. 

Deere. 

increase  & 
decrease. 

1786 

19,791 

1,890 

20,681 

2,681 

15 

1787 

133 

21,949 

3,893 

25,842 

5,161 

25 

1788 

166 

30,899 

6,545 

37,354 

11,512 

45 

1789 

196 

35,019 

8,243 

43,262 

5,908 

16 

1790 

227 

45,949 

11,682 

57,631 

14,369 

33 

1791 

259 

50,385 

12,884 

63,269 

5,639 

10 

1792 

266 

52,109 

13,871 

65,980 

2,711 

4 

1793 

269 

51,416 

16,227 

67,643 

1,663 

3 

1794 

301 

52,794 

13,814 

66,608 

1,035 

2 

1795 

313 

48,121 

12,170 

60,291 

6,317 

9 

1796 

293 

45,384 

11,280 

56,664 

3,627 

6 

1797 

262 

46,444 

12,218 

58,663 

1,999 

4 

1798 

267 

47,867 

12,302 

60,169 

1,506 

3 

1799 

272 

49,115 

12,236 

61,351 

1,182 

2 

1800 

287 

51,412 

12,452 

64,894 

3,543 

6 

1801 

307 

57,186 

15,688 

72,874 

7,980 

12 

1802 

358 

68,075 

18,659 

86,784 

13,860 

10 

1803 

383 

81,017 

22,453 

104,070 

17,336 

19 

1804 

400 

89,003 

23,531 

113,134 

9,064 

9 

1805 

433 

95,029 

24,316 

119,945 

0,811 

6 

1806 

452 

103,313 

27,257 

130,570 

10,625 

9 

1807 

516 

114,727 

29,863 

144,590 

14,020 

11 

1808 

540 

121,687 

30,308 

151,995 

7,405 

5 

1809 

597 

131,154 

31,884 

163,038 

11,043 

8 

1810 

636 

139,830 

34,724 

174,560 

11,522 

7 

1811 

668 

148,835 

35,732 

184,507 

10,007 

6 

1812 

678 

156,852 

38,.505 

195,357 

10,790 

6 

1813 

700 

171,448 

42,859 

214,307 

18,950 

9 

1814 

687 

168  098 

42,434 

211,129 

3,178 

2 

1815 

704 

167,978 

43,187 

211,105 

36 

^V 

1816 

695 

171,931 

42,304 

214,235 

3,070 

1 

1817 

716 

181,442 

43,411 

224,858 

10,518 

5 

1818 

748 

190,477 

39,150 

229,027 

4,774 

2 

1819 

812 

201,750 

39,174 

240,924 

11,297 

5 

1820 

896 

219,332 

40,558 

259.890 

18,966 

8 

1821 

977 

339,087 

42,059 

281,146 

21,256 

8 

1822 

1,106 

252,045 

44,377 

297,022 

15,876 

6 

1823 

1,226 

207,618 

44,922 

312,540 

15,518 

5 

1824 

1,272 

289,427 

48,096 

328,523 

15,983 

5 

1825 

1,314 

298,658 

49,.537 

347,195 

19,672 

G 

1826 

1,400 

309,550 

51,334 

300,889 

12,680 

4 

1827 

1,576 

1.327,933 

51,005 

381,997 

21,113 

6 

320 


APPENDIX. NO.   III. 


Per  cent. 

Year. 

Prchrs. 

Whitea. 

Colomed. 

Total. 

Increase. 

Deere. 

of  dec.  & 
inc. 

1828 

1,642    359,533 

59,394* 

418,927 

36,930 

10 

1829 

1,817  1382,679 

65,064 

447,743 

39,816 

10 

1830 

1,900 '402,561 

73,592 

476,153 

28,410 

6 

1831 

2,010   437,024 

76,090 

513.114 

36,961 

8 

1832 

2,200  ,  472,364 

76,229 

548,595 

35,470 

7 

1833 

2,400    519.196 

80,540 

599,736 

51,143 

9 

1834 

2,625  :  553,134 

85.650 

638,784 

39,048 

7 

1835 

2,758  1  566,957 

85,571 

652,528 

13,744 

2 

1836 

2,920  ;  564,974 

85,271 

650,245 

2,283 

\ 

This  year,  and  the  subsequent  years,  the  numbers  of  local 
preachers  were  returned  in  the  Minutes,  and  they  are  ac- 
cordingly set  down  in  a  separate  column  in  the  years  which 
follow  : — 


v.„ 

T.Pr. 

L.  Pr. 

1 
Wliites.    [Coloured 

Total. 

Increase. 

Per 

eax 

1S37 

3,147 

4.954 

570,123    79,670 

654,756t 

4,511 

f 

183S 

3,332 

5,792 

615,212    81,337 

702,332 

47,576 

7 

1S39 

3,557 

5.856 

650,3571   90,192 

746,315 

43,983 

fi 

1840 

3,657 

6,339 

698,777,   96,668 

801,784 

55,469 

7 

1841 

3,865 

6,893 

748,442  104,476 

859,811 

58,027 

7 

184-2 

4.044 

7,144 

803,988  109,313 

921.045 

61,234 

7 

1843 

4,2^6 

7,730 

936.736  131,789  1,076.255 

155,210 

17 

1^44 

4,627 

8,087 

1,021,818  145,409 

1,175,314 

99,059 

9 

1845 

4,828 

8,109 

985,698  153,-89  1,147,696 

27,618 

2 

1846 

3,280 

4,985 

613,125;   31,174 

649,344 

498,352^ 

43 

1S47 

3.642 

4,913 

600,941     30,617 

636,471 

12,873 

2 

1848 

3,471 

5,191 

608,917;   30,088 

644,196 

8,735 

1 

1S4'J 

3,984 

5,154 

632,773-29,542 

667,469 

23,273 

4 

Average  per  cent,  of  increase  9|. 

Add  the  number  of  travelling  preachers  to  that  of  the  mem- 
bers for  the  year  1849,  and  we  have  a  total  of  671,453. 


*  The  numbers  of  Christian  Indians  are  included  in  this  and 
the  subsequent  numbers  of  coloured  members. 

t  The  number  of  local  preachers  is  included  in  the  sum  total. 

+  Tliis  great  decrease  is  owing  to  the  secession  of  the  slave, 
holding  conferences. 


APPENDIX. — NO.  III.  321 

General  Summary. 

Number  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in- 
chiding  travelling  preachers 671 ,453 

Number  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South,  including  travelling  and  local  preachers . .      496,586 

Number  in  the  Wesleyan  Connexion  in  Great 
Britain,  Ireland,  and  the  Missionary  Stations. . .      470,011 

Number  in  the  Canada  Conference 24,268 

1,662,318 
Add  to  these  the  following,  who  have  seceded 
from  us  in  this  country  and  in    Europe, 
namely : — 
The  Primitives  and  others  in  Gieat  Britain 

and  Ireland 200,000* 

Methodist,  Protestants 64,313 

Reformed  Methodists 3,000 

Wesleyan  Methodists 20,000 

Grand  total 1,949,631 

*  I  am  not  certain  that  this  number  is  accurate,  as  I  have  not 
been  able  to  find  any  authentic  document  to  verify  it,  though 
I  judge  it  not  far  froax  the  truth. 

21 


INDEX 


Activity  commended,  page  266. 
Africa,  population  of,  200. 

Bible  Societies,  good  influence  of,  180;  promote  union 
among  Christians,  18i. 

Bigotry  reproved,  272;  contrasted  with  true  Catholi- 
cism, 273. 

Book  Department,  apathy  in  the,  48. 

Christian  Perfection,  57. 

Christ,  spiritual  reign  of,  311;  good  effected  thereby, 
312  ;  how  accomplished,  312. 

Denominations,  Religious, — Armenians  Greeks,  Jews, 
Mohammedans,  Pagans,  Protestants,  Roman  Catho- 
lics, 317. 

Education,  apathy  in,  34. 

Errors,  practical,  pointed  out,  252. 

Europe,  state  of  religion  in,  201. 

Evangelical  Alliance,  130 ;  Wesley  laboured  to  pro- 
mote it,  131  ;  his  principles  of  union,  133  ;  good  effects 
of,  134  ;  not  carried  into  effect,  135 ;  the  Author  wrote 
in  favour  of  it,  142 ;  how  it  is  to  be  effected,  143. 

risk.  Dr.,  quoted,  81. 

Fleming,  his  calculations,  189  ;  his  account  of  the  down- 
fall of  papacy,  195. 
Florence,  state  of  religion  in,  210. 


324  INDEX. 

Grermany,  state  of  religion  in,  214. 

God  the  author  of  all  good,  128  :  gratitude  to,  inspired, 

185  ;  gratitude  to,  for  what  he  hath  wrought,  179. 
Gospel,  influence  of,  177. 

Hungary,  state  of  religion  in,  212. 
Home-work  essential,  269. 

Improvement,  evidences  of,  29;  temporal,  29;  in 
church  building,  31 ;  in  education,  33  ;  in  the  mission- 
ary work,  39. 

Intemperance,  Wesley  on,  119;  his  pointed  remarks 
against,  120;  extract  from  his  tract,  121 ;  provided 
against  in  General  Rules,  123  ;  the  INIethodist  Church 
vacillates  on,  124 ;  our  rtde  against  it,  125  :  Rev.  Mr. 
Hewitt's  labours  acknowledged,  126. 

Methodism  compared,  27  ;  doctrines  of,  55  ;  not  religion 
without  philosophy,  291  ,  absurdity  of  that  idea,  295 ; 
it  excludes  doctrines,  itinerancy,  class-meetings,  and 
church  organization,  296  ;  the  rnaxim  denied,  296  ;  it 
contemns  the  prophets,  the  Lord  Jesus  and  his  apos- 

.  ties,  Wesley  and  the  Rcfonners,  297  ;  the  error  of  the 
maxim  exposed,  304  ;  Methodism  presented  in  its 
true  light,  306 ;  old-fashioned,  61 ;  its  circumstantials, 
66;  declined  in  some  places,  71;  its  improvements, 
72 ;  British  and  American  compared,  77  ;  latter  more 
prosperous,  78;  the  reasons  for  it.  81 ;  its  missionary 
work,  94  ;  its  labour  in  the  tract  cause,  99 ;  establishes 
Sabbath  schools  in  America,  113  ;  had  been  at  work 
nearly  half  a  century  before  Raikes  commenced,  116; 
its  influence,  145;  opposed,  146;  its  distinctive  fea- 
tures, 147 :  the  pulpit  and  press  arrayed  against  it, 
148  ;  its  cause,  155  ;  taught  sanctification,  157. 

Methodists,  their  increase  in  wealth,  231;  middling  class 
most  liberal,  232  ;  deficiency  in  liberality,  233  ;  ability 
ample,  234 ;  their  covetousness  rebuked,  235 ;  their 
deficiency  in  missionaiy  collections,  236 ;  not  much 
better  result  in  other  departments,  238 ;  whole  family 
of,  can  do  much,  271. 

Millennium,  in  what  it  consists,  193  :  drawing  near,  197. 


IKDEX.  325 

Ministers,  how  qualified  to  preach,  243  ;  how  raised  up, 
244 ;  eminent  talents  in,  compatible  with  holiness, 
245 ;  examples  of  such,  246 ;  importance  of  piety 
pressed  upon  them,  249 ;  evidences  of  this,  250 ; 
necessity  of  deep  devotion  of,  275  ;  must  duly  appre- 
ciate their  high  obligations,  287  ;  should  be  filled  with 
the  Holy  Spirit,  288 :  otherwise  will  sink  into  luke- 
warmness,  289;  names  of  eminent,  mentioned,  163; 
wherein  they  agree,  164 ;  Methodism  contributed  to 
this  result,  165. 

Missionaries,  Ward,  Morrison,  Coke,  178;  their  influ- 
ence, 179  ;  how  qualified  for  their  work,  264 ;  success 
of  such,  265. 

Missions,  home,  45. 

Movements,  benevolent,  47 ;  in  the  number  of  publica- 
tions, 48. 

North  and  South,  dispute  between  the,  21. 

Numbers,  diminution  in,  16  ;  its  causes,  17  ;  comparison 

between  this  diminution  and  that  in  1778  and  1795, 

18. 

Religion,  pure,  hindrances  in  the  way  of,  129  ;  how  to  be 
removed,  130 ;  experimental,  167  ;  practical,  168  ;  ge- 
neral state  of,  207. 

Rhinebeck,  old  district,  72. 

Riches,  increase  of,  among  the  Methodists,  223 ;  a  means 
of  doing  good,  223  ;  necessary  for  the  spread  of  the 
gospel,  223  ;  sin  of,  in  abusing  them,  225;  right  use 
of,  a  blessing,  226  ;  lead  to  luxury,  227 ;  how  to  guard 
against,  228  ;  Methodists  warned  against  its  influence, 
229 ;  the  remedy,  how  to  be  used,  263. 

Schools,  Sabbath,  Raikes  originates,  108 ;  Wesley  pa- 
tronizes, 109  ;  his  delight  in  beholding  them,  110 ;  in- 
troduces gratuitous  instruction  in,  112. 

,  Theological,  heresies  did  not  originate  in,  299  ; 

but  from  unlearned  ignorance,  300;  proved,  301,  302. 

South  America,  state  of  religion  in,  204. 

Spirit,  witness  and  fruits  of  tlie,  56. 

States,  United,  state  of  religion  in  the,  206. 


326  INDEX. 

Success,  want  of,  no  evidence  of  lack  of  piety.  71. 
Switzerland,  state  of  religion  in,  21 1. 

Times,  signs  of  the,  191 ;  very  pleasing,  193  favourable, 

222. 
■Doleration,  promoted,  183 ;  produced  a  better  state  of 

things,  184. 

Union,  Christian,  162;  "Wesley's  proposition  to  White- 
field  for,  137 ;  rejected,  138 ;  embodies  the  spirit  of 
the  evangelical  alliance,  139. 

"Works,  "Wesley's  published,  149 ;  caricatured  by  Southey, 
149  ;  yet  his  character  exalted,  150  ;  world  much  im- 
proved by,  169. 

World,  the,  compared  with  its  former  state  1 70. 


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